Automatic atrial capture device control in real-life practice: A multicenter experience.

Background: Device-based fully automatic pacing capture detection is useful in clinical practice and important in the era of remote care management. The main objective of this study was to verify the effectiveness of the new ACAP Confirm® algorithm in managing atrial capture in the medium term in comparison with early post-implantation testing.

Methods: Data were collected from 318 patients (66% male; mean age, 73±10 years); 237 of these patients underwent device implantation and 81 box changes in 31 Italian hospitals.

Comparison between IEGM-based approach and echocardiography in AV/PV and VV delay optimization in CRT-D recipients (Quicksept study).

Background: AtrioVentricular (AV) and InterVentricular (VV) delay optimization can improve ventricular function in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) and is usually performed by means of echocardiography. St Jude Medical has developed an automated algorhythm which calculates the optimal AV and VV delays (QuickOpt™) based on Intracardiac ElectroGrams, (IEGM), within 2 min. So far, the efficacy of the algorhythm has been tested acutely with standard lead position at right ventricular (RV) apex.

Right ventricular septal pacing: Safety and efficacy in a long term follow up.

Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the permanent high interventricular septal pacing in a long term follow up, as alternative to right ventricular apical pacing.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated: (1) 244 patients (74 ± 8 years; 169 men, 75 women) implanted with a single (132 pts) or dual chamber (112 pts) pacemaker (PM) with ventricular screw-in lead placed at the right ventricular high septal parahisian site (SEPTAL pacing); (2) 22 patients with permanent pacemaker and low percentage of pacing (< 20%) (NO pacing); (3) 33 patients with high percentage (> 80%) right ventricular apical pacing (RVA). All patients had a narrow spontaneous QRS (101 ± 14 ms).

Diagnosis of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with implanted pacemakers: relationship to symptoms and other variables.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is not always accompanied by clear-cut symptoms and symptoms suggestive of AF may not correspond to a genuine AF episode. The study prospectively evaluated the burden of asymptomatic AF episodes in pacemaker patients (for sick sinus syndrome) with a history of documented paroxysmal AF.

Methods: Consecutive patients were enrolled and implanted with dual-chamber pacemakers equipped with diagnostic features for AF monitoring.