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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Optimization of Transesophageal Atrial Pacing to Assess Atrial Fibrillation Susceptibility in Mice
Published on: June 29, 2022
[Atrioventricular asynchrony and pacing]
Lanfranco Antonini1, Vincenzo Pasceri, Alessandro Aiello
1Dipartimento di Malattie Cardiovascolari, Ospedale San Filippo Neri, Roma. lanfranco.antonini@libero.it
Insights
Atrioventricular asynchrony, including dissociation and block, can cause hemodynamic issues. Programmed synchronous atrioventricular delay pacing effectively resolves these issues.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Cardiac Physiology
Context:
- Atrioventricular asynchrony encompasses atrioventricular dissociation and block.
- It can manifest in pacemaker syndrome or with asynchronous atrioventricular delay during sequential pacing.
- A specific form linked to first-degree atrioventricular block and left atrial outflow obstruction has significant hemodynamic impact.
Purpose:
- To define and categorize types of atrioventricular asynchrony.
- To highlight the hemodynamic relevance of specific asynchrony patterns.
- To present sequential pacing with synchronous atrioventricular delay as a solution.
Summary:
- Atrioventricular asynchrony includes systolic (simultaneous atrial and ventricular contraction) and systo-diastolic (atrial systole at ventricular diastole onset) types.
- These conditions, particularly when associated with conditions like mitral stenosis, can lead to relevant hemodynamic effects.
- The study identifies programmed synchronous atrioventricular delay pacing as a method to eliminate these asynchronies.
Impact:
- Provides a clear classification of atrioventricular asynchrony.
- Emphasizes the clinical significance of hemodynamic alterations due to asynchrony.
- Offers a therapeutic strategy for managing atrioventricular asynchrony through optimized pacing.
Abstract:
Atrioventricular dissociation and atrioventricular block are the most common types of atrioventricular asynchrony. Less frequently, atrioventricular asynchrony may occur in the pacemaker syndrome or during sequential pacing with programmed asynchronous atrioventricular delay. A rare type of atrioventricular asynchrony that has relevant hemodynamic effects is observed in first-degree atrioventricular block when associated with mitral stenosis or other conditions characterized by an obstruction of the left atrial outflow. Atrioventricular asynchrony can be defined as systolic when both the atrium and ventricle are contracting simultaneously (pacemaker syndrome, sequential pacing with programmed asynchronous atrioventricular interval), or systo-diastolic when atrial systole occurs at the onset of ventricular diastole as observed in patients with very long PR interval. All described asynchronies can be eliminated by sequential pacing with programmed synchronous atrioventricular delay.
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