title: The role of cardiac pacing in carotid sinus syndrome: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac pacing can be used to treat carotid sinus syndrome (CSS), but clinical studies have shown conflicting results. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the role of pacing for CSS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search of publications in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library without language restriction was performed. Prospective randomized studies that compared cardiac pacing with standard therapy or pacing with different algorithms were included if the recurrence of syncope or the number of falls was observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight studies enrolling 540 patients were identified. In open-label studies, the recurrence of syncope was reduced significantly by cardiac pacing compared with standard therapy. The recurrence of syncope was not different between single- and dual-chamber pacing, but a lower rate of patients with pre-syncope was observed in the group with dual-chamber pacing. Double-blind clinical studies failed to observe the role of cardiac pacing for preventing falls in patients with CSS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of meta-analysis supported the use of cardiac pacing for patients with dominant cardioinhibitory CSS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishilu, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bing-Wei
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-Guang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Na-Qiang
authors.initials: NQ
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Yan-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ai-Min
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dang
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D002346:Carotid Sinus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy