© 2003 by European Society of Cardiology
The DDDR closed loop stimulation for the prevention of vasovagal syncope: results from the INVASY prospective feasibility registry
Divisione Clinicizzata di Cardiologia, Facolta' di Medicina e Chirurgia di Novara, Universita' degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Novara, Italy
BACKGROUND: The contraction dynamics of the ventricular myocardium are affected before and during vasovagal fainting suggesting that the Closed Loop Stimulation (CLS) pacemaker could be useful for the treatment of these patients. CLS is a new concept of heart rate modulation in cardiac pacing. The pacemaker INOS2 CLS (Biotronik, Germany) derives its information for heart rate optimization from myocardial contraction dynamics, by measuring right ventricular intracardiac impedance. The pacemaker becomes an integral part of the circulatory regulation and, therefore, reacts appropriately to different cardiovascular demands.
METHODS: In a prospective registry, 34 patients with a history of recurrent vasovagal syncopal events were implanted with INOS2 DDDR CLS pacemakers. The aim of the study was to evaluate both long term clinical outcome, including the first recurrence of syncope, with DDDR-CLS pacing and acute precipitation of vasovagal fainting with DDDR-CLS mode compared with DDD during head up tilt testing.
RESULTS: During a follow up period of 12–50 months, 30 patients experienced no further syncopal events in daily life; 1 patient had no syncope but night palpitations, which were eliminated by pacemaker reprogramming; 2 patients had presyncopal episodes but not syncopes; 3 syncopal recurrences occurred in one patient in chronic atrial fibrillation, possibly not an ideal candidate for implantation.
CONCLUSIONS: Further studies for detailed understanding of the preventive mechanism of DDDR-CLS pacing in vasovagal syncope are warranted. A randomized multicentre prospective new study (INotropy controlled pacing in VAsovagal SYncope: INVASY) is now in progress to confirm the beneficial effect of DDDR-CLS pacing in a larger group of patients with recurrent vasovagal syncope.
Key Words: Closed loop stimulation, pacemaker, vasovagal syncope, head up tilt test
Correspondence: Dr Occhetta Eraldo, Divisione Clinicizzata di Cardiologia, Azienda Ospedaliera ‘Maggiore della Carita’', Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy. Tel.: +39 0321 3733413; Fax: +39 0321 3733407; E-mail: cardio1{at}maggioreosp.novara.it, occhetta{at}r-j.it
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  E. Occhetta, M. Bortnik, R. Audoglio, C. Vassanelli, and for the INVASY Study Investigators Closed loop stimulation in prevention of vasovagal syncope. Inotropy controlled pacing in vasovagal syncope (INVASY): a multicentre randomized, single blind, controlled study Europace, January 1, 2004; 6(6): 538 - 547. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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