DDD pacing mode survival in children with a dual-chamber pacemaker.
BACKGROUND
The persistence of DDD pacing is well documented in adults, however, in children survival of the DDD pacing mode is less clear.


METHODS
We studied the survival of dual-chamber (DDD) pacing in 36 children aged 1 week to 16 years who underwent implantation of a dual-chamber pacing system between January 1986 and October 1998. The children were divided in the following two groups: 26 had epicardial pacing systems and 10 had endocardial pacing systems.


RESULTS
During long-term follow-up 11 patients lost the DDD pacing mode. The DDD pacing survival rate at 3 months and 1, 2, and 5 years was 80%, 77%, 73%, and 69%, respectively. Age, weight, congenital heart disease, and epicardial pacing leads were not found to be risk factors for loss of DDD pacing mode. However, P-wave values of less than 2.5 mV at implantation of epicardial leads were associated with loss of the DDD pacing mode.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of children remain in the DDD pacing mode during long-term follow-up. A P-wave value of less than 2.5 mV at implantation of epicardial leads is a risk factor for loss of the DDD pacing mode.
Valsangiacomo
E
E
University Children's Hospital, and Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Molinari
L
L
Rahn-Schönbeck
M
M
Bauersfeld
U
U
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000151:congenital / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome