title: Evaluation of body weight as a predictive factor for transvenous ventricular defibrillation characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlation between body weight and defibrillation threshold (DFT) for transvenous lead systems using a porcine model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight pigs were anaesthetised and DFTs assessed in single and dual coil configurations using a four-reversal binary search method. DFT was correlated with body weight in the RV --> Can and RV --> SVC + Can configurations. A Pearson correlation coefficient and a two-sided p-value were calculated. A positive correlation exists between body weight and DFT in RV --> Can (r=0.66, p<0.000) and RV --> SVC + Can (r=0.44, p=0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a significant correlation between body weight and DFT in swine. This tends to be greater in the two-electrode than in the three-electrode configuration. With these and previous human observations, one may predict a higher DFT in heavy individuals and make appropriate procedural adjustments.
authors.affiliation: Wessex Cardiothoracic Centre, Southampton, UK. johnpaisey@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Paisey
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Betts
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004554:Electric Countershock; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*