Impact of AV Conduction Disorders on SafeR Mode Performance

• Published in: Pacing and clinical electrophysiology Vol. 32; no. s1; pp. S231 - S235
• Main Authors: THIBAULT, BERNARD, SIMPSON, CHRISTOPHER, GAGNÉ, CARL-ÉRIC, BLIER, LOUIS, SENARATNE, MANOHARA, McNICOLL, SERGE, STUGLIN, CARLO, WILLIAMS, RANDY, PINTER, ARNOLD, KHAYKIN, YAARIV, NITZSCHE, REMI
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.03.2009
• Subjects: Aged; Atrial Fibrillation - epidemiology; Atrial Fibrillation - prevention & control; atrial pacing; atrioventricular block; Atrioventricular Block - epidemiology; Atrioventricular Block - prevention & control; automatic mode switch; Canada; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial - statistics & numerical data; Comorbidity; dual-chamber pacing; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; sinus node dysfunction; Treatment Outcome; ventricular pacing; Canada
• ISSN: 0147-8389; 1540-8159
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-8159.2008.02293.x

Purpose: CAN‐SAVE R is a Canadian multicenter study that compares the effects of a new pacing mode algorithm designed to minimize right ventricular (V) pacing versus DDD mode with a long atrioventricular (AV) delay in a general population of pacemaker (PM) recipients. Study Participants: Patients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) or high‐degree AV block (AVB) were excluded. We present preliminary data collected in 208 patients (mean age=71 ± 11 years, 68% men), for the 2‐month baseline period during which all PM were programmed in the new pacing mode. The pacing indications were sinus node disease (SND) without AVB in 39%, AVB without SND in 30%, SND and AVB in 16%, and miscellaneous in 15% of patients. Results: The mean percent V pacing in the overall population was 9.5 ± 23.8% (range=0–100%, median <1%), ranging between 0.5 ± 1.5% (median=0) in patients without AVB and 18.7 ± 31.2% in patients (median = 1) with AVB. Adverse events potentially related to the new pacing mode were observed in two patients with AVB. Conclusions: A new pacing mode was effective and safe in a general population of PM recipients without permanent AVB and was associated with an overall <1% median V pacing. CAN‐SAVE R will compare the long‐term effects of the new pacing mode with DDD with a long AV delay on clinical outcomes and cardiac function.