[Mid-term outcome of escape rhythm after radiofrequency ablation of the atrioventricular junction].

Unlabelled: Mid-term outcome of the underlying escape rhythm developed after radiofrequency ablation of the atrio-ventricular junction was studied in 50 consecutive patients (28 women and 22 men with a mean age of 66.2 +/- 9.6 years). The escape rhythm was assessed immediately after ablation and after 13.7 +/- 8 months. At the end of ablation: an escape rhythm was present in 38 patients (76%), with a mean rate of 40.7 +/- 9.7 beats/min and a QRS morphology identical to the preablation QRS morphology in 22 patients (58%). At follow-up: an escape rhythm was present in 37 patients (74%), with a slower mean rate of 36.4 +/- 6.8 beats/min (p < 0.05) and an unchanged QRS morphology in 87.5% of the patients. Patients presenting with an escape rhythm at follow-up were more frequently found to have a postablation escape rhythm (p < 0.01). Escape rhythm presence at follow-up was not influenced by age, presence of a cardiac disease, continuation of an antiarrhythmic treatment after ablation, use of a bilateral approach for ablation or number of radiofrequency applications.

Conclusion: after abrupt inhibition of the stimulation, an escape rhythm was present only in 74% of the patients 13.7 +/- 8 months after atrio-ventricular junction radiofrequency ablation. QRS morphology was identical to the preablation morphology in 57% of the patients.