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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing
12:45

Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing

Published on: December 11, 2017

Dual chamber pacing with optimal AV delay in congestive heart failure: a randomized study

A Capucci1, S Romano, A Puglisi

  • 1Civile Hospital, Piacenza, Italy.

Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology
|February 28, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Dual chamber pacemakers programmed to an optimal AV delay improved quality of life for patients with congestive heart failure. This dual chamber pacing did not significantly affect survival rates in the study group.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Congestive heart failure (CHF) significantly impacts patient quality of life.
  • Optimizing cardiac function in CHF patients remains a clinical challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of dual chamber pacing on contractile parameters and quality of life in CHF patients.
  • To assess if echo-optimized AV interval programming in DDD pacing improves outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective randomized trial involving 38 patients with chronic heart failure.
  • Patients were randomized to optimal medical therapy or optimal medical therapy plus DDD pacing with echo-optimized AV delay.
  • Evaluated parameters included contractile function, mitral regurgitation, and quality of life via questionnaire.

Main Results:

  • A trend towards improved survival was observed in the DDD pacing group (5/19 deaths vs. 7/19 in control).
  • Mitral regurgitation time shortened, and left ventricular systolic diameter decreased significantly in the DDD pacing group.
  • Quality of life, assessed by an energy and activity questionnaire, showed significant improvement with DDD pacing.

Conclusions:

  • Dual chamber (DDD) pacing with echo-optimized AV interval programming can enhance quality of life in CHF patients.
  • This pacing strategy did not demonstrate a significant effect on survival at the 6-month follow-up.
Abstract

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