title: Increase of ventricular interval during atrial fibrillation by atrioventricular node vagal stimulation: chronic clinical atrioventricular-nodal stimulation download study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with a high ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation (AF) are at increased risk of receiving inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks. The objective was to demonstrate the feasibility of high frequency atrioventricular-nodal stimulation (AVNS) to reduce the ventricular rate during AF to prevent inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with a new atrial lead placement as part of a cardiac resynchronization therapy and defibrillator implant and a history of paroxysmal or persistent AF were eligible. If proper atrial lead position was confirmed, AVNS software was uploaded to the cardiac resynchronization therapy device, tested, and optimized. AVNS was delivered via a right atrial pacing lead positioned in the posterior right atrium. Software allowed initiation of high frequency bursts triggered on rapidly conducted AF. Importantly, the efficacy was evaluated during spontaneous AF episodes between 1 and 6 months after implant. Forty-four patients were enrolled in 4 centers. Successful atrial lead placement occurred in 74%. Median implant time of the AVNS lead was 37 minutes. In 26 (81%) patients, manual AVNS tests increased the ventricular interval by >25%. Between 1 and 6 months, automatic AVNS activations occurred in 4 patients with rapidly conducted AF, and in 3 patients, AVNS slowed the ventricular rate out of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock zone. No adverse events were associated with the AVNS software.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated the feasibility of implementation of AVNS in a cardiac resynchronization therapy and defibrillator system. AVNS increased ventricular interval >25% in 81% of patients. AVNS did not influence the safety profile of the cardiac resynchronization therapy and defibrillator system.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov; Unique Identifier: NCT01095952.
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.). stefbianchi@gmail.com.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Bianchi
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Rossi
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Schauerte
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Arif
authors: A
authors: Elvan
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Carina
authors: C
authors: Blomström-Lundqvist
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Lilian
authors: L
authors: Kornet
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Pim
authors: P
authors: Gal
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Mörtsell
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Griet
authors: G
authors: Wouters
authors: From the Department of Cardiology, Az. Ospedale S. Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy (S.B., P.R.); Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany (P.S.); Department of Cardiology, Isala Klinieken, Zwolle, the Netherlands (A.E., P.G.); Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (C.B.-L., D.M.); Department of Research and Technology, Medtronic, Bakken Research Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands (L.K., G.W.); and Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Giessen & Marburg, Giessen, Germany (C.G.).
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Gemein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000294:innervation*; D058406:Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D058409:Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Devices; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012985:Software Design; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: atrial fibrillation; shock; vagal stimulation