Open AccessHeart Rate Variability Early After Successful Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Left‐ and Right‐Sided Accessory Pathways and After Selective Ablation of the Slow Pathway
Author(s) -
Sztajzel Juan M.,
Vinolas Xavier,
Sobral José,
Dumaresq Lucia,
Boveda Serge,
Torner Pelayo,
Oter Ramon,
Luna Antonio Bayés
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
annals of noninvasive electrocardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.494
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1542-474X
pISSN - 1082-720X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1542-474x.1997.tb00201.x
Subject(s) - medicine , heart rate variability , cardiology , ablation , accessory pathway , tachycardia , catheter ablation , radiofrequency catheter ablation , electrocardiography , heart rate , anesthesia , blood pressure
Background Inappropriate sinus tachycardia (1ST) and alterations in heart rate variability (HRV) may survene after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). The objective of this study was to analyze and to compare HRV after RFCA of supraventricular tachycardia. Methods HRV components were analyzed and compared in 86 patients early after successful RFCA of left‐sided (LSAP) (n = 38) and right‐sided (RSAP) accessory pathways (n = 18), and after selective ablation of the slow atrioventricular nodal pathway (n = 30). All HRV parameters, including indices of time‐domain, 24‐hour RR histogram, and power spectral analysis, were obtained from Holler tapes recorded 24–48 hours after RFCA, free of antiarrhythmic drugs. Results We found a significant increase in mean heart rate and significant reductions in most indices of time domain in patients of the slow pathway >SP) group when comparing to the two other groups. 1ST was found in 7% of patients. The plot of the 24‐hour RR histogram and the frequency‐domain analysis, demonstrated the same tendency to significantly lower values in patients of the SP group. Values of r‐MSSD and pNN5O were significantly reduced in patients of the RSAP group, most (72%) of posteroseptal (PS) location, in comparison with values observed in patients of the LSAP group. Conclusions In our study, comparisons between postablation HRV indices of the three groups suggest a decrease of the sympathetic and parasympathetic components in patients of the SP group, probably due to autonomous fiber damage. Ablation in patients of the RSAP group, most of PS location, shows an attenuation of the predominantly parasympathetic component, probably in relation to the anatomical site of the PS pathways, and indicates thereby an intermediate behavior of this type of pathway.