Primary prevention of atrial fibrillation: does the atrial lead position influence the incidence of atrial arrhythmias in patients with sinus node dysfunction? Results from the PASTA Trial.
BACKGROUND
PASTA (pacing of the atria in sinus node disease) is a prospective and randomized trial, assessing the effect of different atrial lead positions on the atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in patients with sinus node disease (SND).


METHODS
The atrial lead position is randomized to: (a) free right atrial wall, (b) right atrial appendage (RAA), (c) coronary sinus ostium (CS-Os), or (d) dual site right atrial pacing (CS-Os + RAA). The pacemakers (Vitatron Selection 9000 or Prevent AF, Vitatron B.V., Arnhem, The Netherlands) are programmed in DDDR 70 mode and the total follow-up duration is 24 months. To describe the atrial rhythm state, pacemaker-derived data (arrhythmia counter) were assessed for AF episodes. AF was considered as evident, if the AF burden (time in AF related to follow-up interval) was >1% (i.e., 15 min/d). Follow-up data after 24 months were evaluated.


RESULTS
The analysis evaluates 142 patients (77 male, 74.5 +/- 7.8 years). There was no statistical significant difference with respect to the occurrence of AF between the four groups after 24 months (A: 36%; B: 38%, C: 32%, D: 48%). The percentage of atrial/ventricular pacing was in A: 78/76%, in B: 84/81%, in C: 70/65%, and in D: 79/69%. These differences were not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The evaluation of the AF burden >1% and the total AF burden after 24 months did not show differences in the incidence of AF in patients with dual chamber pacemaker therapy for SND. We were not able to demonstrate a significant influence of right atrial lead position on the incidence of AF recurrence.
Praxisklinik Herz und Gefässe Dresden, Akademische Lehrpraxisklinik der TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany. dr.spitzer@praxisklinik-dresden.de
Stefan G
SG
Spitzer
Petra
P
Wacker
Steffen
S
Gazarek
Klaus
K
Malinowski
Volker
V
Schibgilla
D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012849:Sinoatrial Node