Influence of structural heart disease on characteristics of atrial fibrillation recurrence in patients with dual-chamber pacemakers.

Aims: The aim of the study was to prospectively examine the influence of structural heart disease (SHD) and sinus node dysfunction (SND) on the frequency and duration of atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes in patients with implanted pacemakers.

Methods: We examined episodes of AF in 207 patients (93 with SHD; 165 with SND) with known or suspected paroxysmal AF who underwent dual-chamber pacing.

Results: Seventy-one percent of all patients experienced at least one episode of AF during follow-up, with a mean burden of 3.

Form analysis using digital signal processing reliably discriminates far-field R waves from P waves.

The correct detection of atrial arrhythmias by pacemakers is often limited by the presence of far-field R waves (FFRWs) in the atrial electrogram. Digital signal processing (DSP) of intracardiac signals is assumed to provide improved discrimination between P waves and FFRWs when compared to current methods. For this purpose, 100 bipolar and unipolar intracardiac atrial recordings from 31 patients were collected during pacemaker replacement and used for the off-line application of a novel DSP algorithm.