title: Clinical predictors of successful cephalic vein access for implantation of endocardial leads.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are any patient characteristics that predict successful use of the cephalic vein for endocardial lead implantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred fifty consecutive patients who underwent implantation of one or more endocardial pacemaker (N = 63) or defibrillator (N = 87) leads using a cephalic vein approach were included in this prospective study. The mean age of the patients was 63 +/- 14 years, and 115 (77%) were men. Ninety-one patients (61%) had coronary artery disease, 77 patients (51%) had hypertension, and 42 patients (28%) had diabetes. The mean ejection fraction was 0.34 +/- 0.17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At least one lead was successfully implanted using a cephalic vein approach in 96 patients (64%). The most common reason for failure of the cephalic vein approach was a small cephalic vein, found in 25 patients (17%). Independent predictors of successful cephalic vein use were diabetes (p < 0.001), ejection fraction < or = 0.40 (p < 0.05), and male gender (p < 0.05). At least one endocardial lead was implanted in 19 of the 24 (79%) men who had an ejection fraction < or = 0.40 and diabetes, compared to 4 of the 11 (36%) women who had an ejection fraction > 0.40 and did not have diabetes. The only independent predictor of successful cephalic vein implantation among nondiabetics was an ejection fraction < or = 0.40 (p < 0.01). Body size was not an independent predictor of successful cephalic vein use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Baseline patient characteristics influence the likelihood of successful endocardial lead implantation using a cephalic vein approach. Diabetes, ventricular dysfunction, male gender and are associated with an increased likelihood of a successful implant using the cephalic vein. Smaller leads and and better techniques are needed to improve the success rate of cephalic vein implantation in all patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 49109-0022, USA. bpk@umich.edu
authors.forename: Bradley P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Curlett
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oral
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pelosi
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morady
authors.forename: S Adam
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strickberger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002550:Cerebral Veins; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004699:Endocardium; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D016896:Treatment Outcome