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Ajmaline Challenge in Young Individuals with Suspected Brugada Syndrome
Author(s) -
SORGENTE ANTONIO,
SARKOZY ANDREA,
DE ASMUNDIS CARLO,
CHIERCHIA GIANBATTISTA,
CAPULZINI LUCIO,
PAPARELLA GAETANO,
HENKENS STEFAN,
BRUGADA PEDRO
Publication year - 2011
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.1540-8159.2011.03033.x
Subject(s) - ajmaline , medicine , brugada syndrome , asymptomatic , cardiology , repolarization , young adult , pediatrics , electrophysiology
Background: The clinical characteristics and the results of ajmaline challenge in young individuals with suspected Brugada syndrome (BS) have not been systematically investigated.Methods: Among a larger series of patients included in the BS database of our Department, 179 patients undergoing ajmaline challenge were included in the study and categorized in two groups according to age: group 1 (<18 years old) and group 2 (≥18 years old). Clinical features and results of the ajmaline challenge of each group were compared.Results: Young individuals were more often asymptomatic compared to adult patients (P = 0.002). They showed a higher number of normal ECGs (P = 0.023), a lower percentage of Brugada type II electrocardiographic pattern compared to the adult population (P = 0.011), and a comparable amount of spontaneous Brugada type III electrocardiographic pattern (P = 0.695). Ajmaline provoked a higher degree of intraventricular conduction delay (P = 0.002) and higher degree of prolongation of the ventricular repolarization phase (P = 0.013) in young individuals but its pro‐arrhythmic risk was comparable in the two groups (P = 0.684). Furthermore, inducibility of ventricular arrhythmias in young patients with a positive ajmaline test was comparable to that of the adults with a positive ajmaline test (P = 0.694).Conclusions: The present study demonstrates the low‐risk profile of the ajmaline test in young patients when performed by experienced physicians and nurses in an appropriate environment. (PACE 2011; 736–741)