Comparison of DDD and 'VVI-R like' pacing during moderate exercise: echo-Doppler study

The non-invasive haemodynamic comparisons of DDD and 'VVI-R like' pacing at rest and during moderate exercise by echo Doppler are reported. Twelve patients (six males, six females, mean age 48.2 years) with a dual chamber pacemaker were submitted to a series of two exercise tests in a semi-supine position, the first test in DDD mode and the second test in a 'VVI-R like' mode: VVT mode, during which pacing rate was externally increased by chest wall stimulation. During the second test, the workload profile was matched to that of the first test (66 watts and same exercise stages) and ventricular pacing rate was incremented via chest wall stimulation and reproduced exactly the heart rate profile of the first test in DDD mode. The heart rate averaged 81 beats.min-1 at rest and reached 116 beats.min-1 during exercise. At rest and throughout exercise tests, aortic blood flow velocity spectra were continuously recorded on video tape and analysed with the calculation program of the echocardiograph. At rest, ejection time, flow velocity integral, flow acceleration and stroke volume differed between DDD and 'VVI-R like' mode while other parameters did not. During exercise all but two parameters differed. DDD mode especially was associated with a larger stroke volume (81.9 vs 70.9 ml; P less than 0.001) and cardiac output (9.24 vs 8.011.min-1; P less than 0.001) than VVI-R mode.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)