Diagnostic value of single versus dual chamber electrograms recorded from an implantable defibrillator.
BACKGROUND
The clinical utility of ventricular electrograms in comparison to atrial and ventricular electrograms in diagnosing the type of tachycardias recorded by an implantable defibrillator has not been addressed from the standpoint of a clinician's diagnostic accuracy and confidence in that diagnosis.


METHODS
Fifty-two tachycardia episodes recorded from dual chamber defibrillators were divided into two tests. The initial test contained only information from the ventricular electrogram and the second test contained information from both the atrial and ventricular electrograms. For each test, the reviewers were asked to provide the specific diagnosis, the originating chamber of origin of the tachycardia, and the confidence of their responses for each question. McNemar's test for matched pairs was used to determine accuracy and an analysis of variance to determine reviewer confidence.


RESULTS
The overall accuracy for both the specific diagnosis (61% vs. 79%; p < 0.001) and the chamber of origin (76% vs. 90%; p < 0.001) improved when both the atrial and ventricular electrograms were available for review. Reviewer confidence appeared to correlate with diagnostic accuracy.


CONCLUSIONS
The data clearly show the favorable impact of dual chamber defibrillators on the diagnostic accuracy and confidence of clinicians faced with a clinical tachycardia recorded from an implantable defibrillator. Such improvements may translate into more focused and appropriate therapeutic interventions.
Kim
Michael H
MH
Section of Cardiology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, 1653 W. Congress Parkway, Room 983 Jelke, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Michael_Kim@rush.edu
Bruckman
David
D
Sticherling
Christian
C
Oral
Hakan
H
Pelosi
Frank
F
Knight
Bradley P
BP
Morady
Fred
F
Strickberger
S Adam
SA
D000368:Aged; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis*