Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Initial heart rate score predicts new-onset atrial tachyarrhythmias in pacemaker patients
- Retrospective cohort study
- remote monitoring data (LATITUDE)
Authors' conclusion
Heart rate score independently predicts any subsequent duration of ATAs in pacemaker patients.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with dual-chamber pacemakers implanted 2013–17, without atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs) during the initial 3 months post-implantation
- Participants
- 34,543 patients
- Exposure
- Initial Heart Rate Score (HRSc) ≥70% vs HRSc <70%
- Outcome
- New-onset atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs): >1, >10, or >25% of atrial beats >170 b.p.m. or atrial tachycardia response (ATR) events >24 h
- Follow-up
- Median 2.8 (1.0-4.0) years
Main finding
New ATAs
Hazard ratio
1.07
95% CI 1.05–1.09
P < 0.0001
Initial HRSc vs HRSc <70%
HR 1.07 (95% CI 1.05–1.09); P < 0.0001
As reported in the abstract
- Incidence of ATAs increased in proportion to HRSc
- log-rank P-value <0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Baseline characteristics, HRSc ≥70% vs <70%
- HRSc ≥70%: older, higher %RA pacing, lower %RV pacing, more often programmed with rate-response
- %RA pacing and initial HRSc were correlated
Original publication
Initial heart rate score predicts new-onset atrial tachyarrhythmias in pacemaker patients. Europace. Published 8 August 2023. doi:10.1093/europace/euad242
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it