Abstract
Background
A significant minority of cardiac transplant patients require permanent pacemaker (PPM) implant, primarily for sinus node dysfunction. The stability of pacing indices has not been determined in this unique patient population, and data regarding ongoing need for pacing are limited.
Methods
Pacing indices (sensing, threshold, and impedance) as well as the percentage of time patients required pacing were recorded, from 30 cardiac transplant patients that underwent PPM implant, over 1 year of follow-up. Repeated measure ANOVA (analysis of variance) was used to compare pacing indices and the percentage of time patients required pacing in each cardiac chamber (right atrium (RA) and right ventricle (RV)) and at different time points.
Results
There was no difference in sensing among the follow-up time points (p = 0.9). Thresholds at 3 months were significantly higher compared to the day of implant (p = 0.005) and the day after implant (p = 0.03). Impedances at implant were significantly higher compared to day 1 (p < 0.001), 3 months (p < 0.003), and 12 months (p < 0.001) post-implant. The mean percentage of RA pacing was 85 ± 6% the day after implant, 74 ± 6% at 3 months, and 80 ± 6% at 1 year (p = 0.17).
Conclusion
In cardiac transplant patients, pacing impedances decrease and thresholds trend up in short-term follow-up, but subsequent sensing, threshold, and impedance remain stable at 1 year. This is comparable to the pattern observed among noncardiac transplant PPM recipients. The atrial pacing percentage was stable over 1 year, suggesting continued relative sinus node dysfunction.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
de Jonge N et al. Guidelines for heart transplantation. Neth Heart J. 2008;16(3):79–87.
HRSA Scientific Registry of Transplant Receipients - 2011 Report; Available from http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/.
Heinz G et al. Sinus node dysfunction after orthotopic cardiac transplantation: postoperative incidence and long-term implications. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1992;15(5):731–7.
Heinz G et al. Demographic and perioperative factors associated with initial and prolonged sinus node dysfunction after orthotopic heart transplantation. The impact of ischemic time. Transplantation. 1991;51(6):1217–24.
Scott CD, Dark JH, McComb JM. Sinus node function after cardiac transplantation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1994;24(5):1334–41.
Mackintosh AF et al. Sinus node function in first three weeks after cardiac transplantation. Br Heart J. 1982;48(6):584–8.
Schuchert A, Kuck KH, Bleifeld W. Stability of pacing threshold, impedance, and R wave amplitude at rest and during exercise. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1990;13(12 Pt 1):1602–8.
Fischler H. Polarization properties of small-surface-area pacemaker electrodes--implications on reliability of sensing and pacing. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1979;2(4):403–16.
de Buitleir M et al. Acute changes in pacing threshold and R- or P-wave amplitude during permanent pacemaker implantation. Am J Cardiol. 1990;65(15):999–1003.
Pickering JG, Boughner DR. Fibrosis in the transplanted heart and its relation to donor ischemic time. Assessment with polarized light microscopy and digital image analysis. Circulation. 1990;81(3):949–58.
Yamani MH et al. Myocardial ischemic-fibrotic injury after human heart transplantation is associated with increased progression of vasculopathy, decreased cellular rejection and poor long-term outcome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002;39(6):970–7.
Armstrong AT et al. Quantitative investigation of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis over 6 years after cardiac transplantation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1998;32(3):704–10.
Wilson RF et al. Evidence for structural sympathetic reinnervation after orthotopic cardiac transplantation in humans. Circulation. 1991;83(4):1210–20.
Platia EV, Brinker JA. Time course of transvenous pacemaker stimulation impedance, capture threshold, and electrogram amplitude. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1986;9(5):620–5.
Gupta PK et al. Appraisal of sinus nodal recovery time in patients with sick sinus syndrome. Am J Cardiol. 1974;34(3):265–70.
DiBiase A et al. Frequency and mechanism of bradycardia in cardiac transplant recipients and need for pacemakers. Am J Cardiol. 1991;67(16):1385–9.
Parry G et al. Declining need for pacemaker implantation after cardiac transplantation. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1998;21(11 Pt 2):2350–2.
Heinz G et al. Sinus node dysfunction after orthotopic heart transplantation: the Vienna experience 1987-1993. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1994;17(11 Pt 2):2057–63.
Morgan JA, Edwards NM. Orthotopic cardiac transplantation: comparison of outcome using biatrial, bicaval, and total techniques. J Card Surg. 2005;20(1):102–6.
Herre JM, Barnhart GR, Llano A. Cardiac pacemakers in the transplanted heart: short term with the biatrial anastomosis and unnecessary with the bicaval anastomosis. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2000;15(2):115–20.
Weiss ES et al. Outcomes in bicaval versus biatrial techniques in heart transplantation: an analysis of the UNOS database. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2008;27(2):178–83.
Arrowood JA et al. Absence of parasympathetic control of heart rate after human orthotopic cardiac transplantation. Circulation. 1997;96(10):3492–8.
Savin WM et al. Cardiorespiratory responses of cardiac transplant patients to graded, symptom-limited exercise. Circulation. 1980;62(1):55–60.
Trento A et al. Clinical experience with one hundred consecutive patients undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation with bicaval and pulmonary venous anastomoses. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1996;112(6):1496–502. discussion 1502-3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Funding source
None.
Ethical approval
The study conformed to the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association. Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute’s ethics review board approved the study protocol.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Farid, T.A., Omer, M.A., Gosch, K. et al. Stability of pacing indices and need for pacing in cardiac transplant patients over 1 year of follow-up. J Interv Card Electrophysiol 49, 27–32 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-017-0226-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-017-0226-x