title: Swallowing-induced atrial tachyarrhythmias: prevalence, characteristics, and the results of the radiofrequency catheter ablation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Detailed information on swallowing-induced tachyarrhythmias has been lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence, characteristics, and results of the radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of swallowing-induced tachyarrhythmias were examined in 544 patients with symptomatic premature atrial contractions (PACs), paroxysmal atrial tachycardia (AT), and/or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). We also conducted a search of the medical literature on swallowing-induced tachyarrhythmias. Further, we presented an in-depth review of the literature and investigated the published data on swallowing-induced tachyarrhythmias.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of swallowing-induced tachyarrhythmias was 0.6% (three patients). An analysis of the published literature and our three cases demonstrated that (1) males predominated 9:1 over females, (2) most cases occurred over 35 years of age, (3) tachyarrhythmias occurred consistently and reproducibly shortly after each swallow, (4) 90% of the patients had PACs and/or AT as the manifesting arrhythmia, (5) the PACs provoked by swallowing usually had the same P-wave morphology as the first beat of the AT and AF, and (6) RFCA procedures performed in five cases resulted in success with no recurrence or complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Swallowing-induced tachyarrhythmias are rare, but have several distinct characteristics. RFCA should be considered in appropriately selected patients with reliable inducibility because such an ablation may offer a permanent cure.
authors: Division of Cardiology, Gunma Prefectural Cardiovascular Center, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. htada@umich.edu
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Tada
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Kaseno
authors: Shoichi
authors: S
authors: Kubota
authors: Shigeto
authors: S
authors: Naito
authors: Miki
authors: M
authors: Yokokawa
authors: Shigeki
authors: S
authors: Hiramatsu
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Goto
authors: Akihiko
authors: A
authors: Nogami
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Oshima
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Taniguchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D002648:Child; D003679:Deglutition; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*