Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Diagnostic reliability of monitoring for premature atrial and ventricular complexes
Authors' conclusion
While there is substantial daily variability across most PAC and PVC levels, findings of ≥10 000 PACs or PVCs are highly specific and do not need to be confirmed with longer recordings.
Study context
- Population
- US patients aged 17–103 years with 14-day mobile cardiac telemetry recordings without AF
- Participants
- 8,245 patients
- Comparison
- Shorter ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings vs 14-day averages
- Outcome
- Day-to-day variability of PAC and PVC frequency
Performance
As reported in the abstract
After 3 days, estimated daily premature atrial complex (PAC) frequency differed by ≥50% from the 14-day mean in this share of patients; for premature ventricular complex (PVCs) the corresponding duration was 7 days
25%
Days of monitoring needed to estimate PAC and PVC frequency within ±20% of the 14-day frequency in 80% of patients
10
Further findings
Sensitivity
| Outcome | PACs | PVCs |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity for ≥10 000 PACs or PVCs/day after 7 days of monitoring | 88.8% (95% CI 83.6–92.9) | 86.9% (95% CI 80.9–91.5%) |
Day-to-day variability: estimated daily frequency differing by ≥50% from 14-day mean in 25% of patients
- PVCs: corresponding duration
- 7 days
- PACs: after 3 days
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it