Accessory pathway and atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia in elderly patients: Clinical features, electrophysiologic characteristics and results of radiofrequency ablation

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 702 - 708
• Main Authors: Chen, Shih-Ann, Chiang, Chern-En, Yang, Chin-Juey, Cheng, Chen-Chuan, Wu, Tsu-Juey, Wang, Shih-Pu, Chiang, Benjamin N., Chang, Mau-Song
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.03.1994; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; Catheter Ablation; Diseases of the cardiovascular system; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Conduction System - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Postoperative Complications - epidemiology; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry - diagnosis; Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry - epidemiology; Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry - surgery; Time Factors; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome - diagnosis; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome - epidemiology; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome - surgery; Human; Prognosis; Arrhythmia; Reentry; Electrophysiology; Instrumentation therapy; Cardiovascular disease; Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia; Radiofrequency; Ablation; Excitability disorder; Heart disease; Accessory bundle; Elderly
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/0735-1097(94)90757-9

Objectives. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical features, electrophysiologic characteristics and results of radio-frequency ablation in elderly patients with accessory atrioventricular (AV) pathways or AV node reentrant tachycardia. Background. Radiofrequency ablation in elderly patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia has not been well described, and comparative study between elderly and younger patients is limited. Methods. Electrophysiologic studies and radiofrequency ablation were performed in 92 elderly patients (45 with an accessory pathway, 47 with AV node reentrant tachycardia). Results. The elderly patients had poorer electrophysiologic properties in accessory pathways and dual AV node pathways than those of younger patients. The success rate of radiofrequency ablation was similar in elderly and younger patients. However, elderly patients had more complications (14%) in left-sided accessory pathways. Conclusions. Radiofrequency ablation in elderly patients with supraventricular tachycardia was effective. However, it must be performed cautiously in those patients with left-sided accessory pathways.