Outcome after implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator in patients with Brugada syndrome: a multicenter study.

Background: Brugada syndrome is an arrhythmogenic disease characterized by an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) by ventricular fibrillation. At present, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is the recommended therapy in high-risk patients. This multicenter study reports the outcome of a large series of patients implanted with an ICD for Brugada syndrome.

Endocarditis in patients with a permanent pacemaker: a 1-year epidemiological survey on infective endocarditis due to valvular and/or pacemaker infection.

To describe characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) in pacemaker (PM) recipients, including the annual incidence and exact localization of IE on PM leads, cardiac valves, or both, we prospectively analyzed 45 PM recipients from a group of 559 patients with definite IE who responded to a population-based survey conducted in France in 1999. Thirty-three patients had definite PM-lead IE (group I), and 12 had valvular IE without evidence of PM involvement (group II). The valvular structure was involved in almost two-thirds of IE cases among PM recipients.

[The French pacemaker register].

The European ID card is the basis for the national registers of pacemaker wearers. The French register, dating from 1986, currently groups 2/3 of implantations or replacements performed each year in France. Year to year comparisons allow measurement of the indications for implanting and the equipment implanted, pacemakers as well as electrode probes.

[Effects of intravenous electrodes of cardiac pacemakers. Clinical and plethysmographic approach].

The authors study the haemodynamics of the endovenous electrodes of cardiac stimulators (EE) in the light of clinical and plethysmographic investigations. Seven venous thromboses were observed out of 2,000 implantations of stimulators (0.35%).