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Europace Advance Access published online on June 4, 2007
Europace, doi:10.1093/europace/eum116
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© The European Society of Cardiology 2007. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Sinus node function in children with congenital complete atrioventricular block

Gertie C.M. Beaufort-Krol, Ymkje Stienstra and Margreet Th.E. Bink-Boelkens*

Beatrix Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands

Aims Children with congenital complete atrioventricular block (CCAVB) often need pacemaker therapy. In these children, it may be preferable to use single-lead VDD pacing, but for VDD pacing a normal sinus node function is required. Our aim was to study sinus node function in children with CCAVB.

Methods and results We longitudinally evaluated sinus rate in 36 children with CCAVB and normal anatomy of the heart. The rate of sinus rhythm on a 12-lead ECG, in Holter recordings, and exercise tests were evaluated at regular intervals. Age at the first visit of the children was 2.5 ± 3.3 years (mean ± SD). Follow-up was 10.6 ± 7.3 years. The rate of sinus rhythm on a 12-lead ECG was at every age within the normal values for age (e.g. 0–1 year: 153 ± 24 bpm, and 17–18 years: 76 ± 4 bpm). Lowest and highest sinus rates in the Holter recordings were normal. During exercise, mean sinus rate in the total group of children increased from 92 ± 8 at rest to 171 ± 9 bpm at maximal exercise.

Conclusion We conclude that sinus node function is normal in children with CCAVB. Because of the normal increase in sinus rate during exercise, a single-lead VDD pacemaker can be safely implanted in these children.

Key Words: Arrhythmias, Complete heart block, Congenital, Pacemakers, Paediatrics, Sinus node

* Corresponding author. Tel: +31 50 3612800; fax: +31 50 3614235. E-mail address: m.t.e.bink-boelkens{at}xs4all.nl/ tgbeauf{at}xs4all.nl

Manuscript submitted 21 March 2007. Accepted after revision 3 May 2007.


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