Modulation of atrioventricular junctional parasystole during atrial pacing

In this report we describe a case of a 68-year-old man with atrioventricular junctional parasystole in whom atrial pacing caused marked changes in the arrhythmic pattern. During atrial pacing at a cycle length of 960 ms, the duration of the ectopic cycle length was influenced by the interval between the parasystolic and nonparasystolic beat. A shorter interval from nonparasystolic to ectopic beat prolonged the ectopic cycle length and a longer one shortened it. Pacing at a cycle length of 900 ms completely suppressed the parasystole. Both of these changes are most likely due to modulation and entrainment of the parasystolic rhythm. During spontaneous variation of the sinus cycle length over 24 hours of ambulatory ECG recording, modulation could not be confirmed; however, there was parallel variation of the ectopic and sinus cycle lengths which suggests that both pacemakers were under the influence of the autonomic nervous system.