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Characteristics of Ventriculoatrial Conduction in Patients with Enhanced Atrioventricular Nodal Conduction
Author(s) -
DOUGHERTY ANNE HAMILTON,
NACCARELLI GERALD V.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1987.tb05922.x
Subject(s) - medicine , thermal conduction , electrical conduction system of the heart , cardiology , atrioventricular block , atrioventricular node , electrocardiography , tachycardia , materials science , composite material
To study the characteristics of the ventriculoatrial conduction system in palienfs capable of rapid antegrade atrioventricuiar conduction, eiectrophysiologic studies were performed in 23 subjects capable of 1:1 atrioventricular conduction at atrial cycle lengths < 300 ms (Group I). and in 23 subjects with normal 1:1 atrioventricular conduction (Group II). During venfricular pacing, ventriculoatrial block at all cycle lengths was seen in 5/23 (22%) in Group I and in 7/23 (30%) in Group II patients (p = NS). In the remainder, the minimum ventricuar pacing cycle length maintaining 1:1 ventriculoatrial conduction was 359 ± 85 ms in Group I, compared to 444 ± 118 ms in Group II (p < .02). Both flat and exponential VA conduction interval curves, drawn as a function of pacing cycle length, were observed in both groups. Discontinuous ventricuioatrial conduction curves were seen in 5/18 (28%) Group I and 1/16 (6%) Group II patients (p = NS). In conclusion, retrograde ventriculoatrial conduction, when present in patients capable of rapid 1:1 atrioventricular conduction, is maintained at shorter cycle lengths than in patients with normal atrioventricular conduction. Quantitative, rather than qualitative, differences distinguish the two groups.