Long-term follow-up of atrioventricular delay optimization in patients with biventricular pacing.
BACKGROUND
Atrioventricular (AV) delay optimization may be important in patients with biventricular pacing and the optimal AV delay can be predicted using Doppler echocardiography and the formula: optimal AV delay = AV delay-the interval between the end of A wave and complete closure of the mitral valve when the AV delay is set at slightly prolonged AV delay.


RESULTS
In the present study the efficacy of this method was evaluated in 5 patients (67.4+/-8.0 (SD) years old) with biventricular pacing. Cardiac output (CO) and diastolic filling time were measured by Doppler echocardiography. When the AV delay was set at the predicted optimal AV delay -25 ms, the predicted optimal AV delay (133+/-66 ms) and predicted optimal AV delay + 25 ms, the respective CO were 4.5+/-0.9, 5.3+/-1.0, 4.8+/-1.0 L/min (p<0.05, ANOVA) and the diastolic filling times were 364 +/-100, 373+/-105, 335+/-84 ms (p<0.05, ANOVA). Congestive heart failure improved from New York Heart Association class 3.6+/-0.5 to 1.4+/-0.5 (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
AV delay optimization is important in patients with biventricular pacing and can be easily achieved by the new method.
Inoue
Noriko
N
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama City University Hospital, Japan.
Ishikawa
Toshiyuki
T
Sumita
Shinichi
S
Nakagawa
Takeshi
T
Kobayashi
Tsukasa
T
Matsushita
Kohei
K
Matsumoto
Katsumi
K
Ohkusu
Yasuo
Y
Taima
Minoru
M
Kosuge
Masami
M
Uchino
Kazuaki
K
Kimura
Kazuo
K
Umemura
Satoshi
S
D000368:Aged; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000502:physiology*; D002302:Cardiac Output; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000503:physiopathology