Investigators at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children release new data on congenital heart disease
March 9th, 2009
2009 MAR 9 -- Investigators publish new data in the report 'Single-centre use of implantable loop recorders in patients with congenital heart disease.' In this recent report published in the journal Europace, researchers in Bristol, the United Kingdom conducted a study "To determine the efficacy of the implantable loop recorder (ILR) in patients with congenital heart disease. Retrospective data analyses of all patients with congenital heart disease undergoing ILR implantation in a congenital cardiac centre."
"Of 78 ILRs implanted between July 2000 and October 2007, 22 (15 male) patients had congenital heart disease. The median age at implantation was 15.5 years (7.0-46.5). Six patients had neurodevelopmental delay. Indications for implantation were syncope (n=15), palpitations (n=4), and pre-syncope (n=3). Median implantation time was 19 months (1-30). Explantation data were available in 16 patients (73%). Implantable loop recorders were explanted following establishment of positive diagnosis (n=3), negative diagnosis (n=7), and at the end of battery life (n=4). One patient died with the ILR in situ. One device eroded after 2 months without further complication. Following ILR interrogation, diagnosed arrhythmias included ventricular tachycardia (n=2) and sinus node dysfunction (n=1). On the basis of these findings, two patients had intracardiac defibrillators and one patient had a dual-chamber pacemaker implanted. Implantable loop recorders lead to a positive or negative arrhythmic diagnosis following explantation in 71% of patients with congenital heart disease," wrote D. Kenny and colleagues, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
The researchers concluded: "This is particularly beneficial in patients with neurodevelopmental delay where accurate history is often limited."
Kenny and colleagues published their study in Europace (Single-centre use of implantable loop recorders in patients with congenital heart disease. Europace, 2009;11(3):303-7).
For additional information, contact D. Kenny, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Congenital Heart Centre, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol BS2 8BJ, UK.
The publisher's contact information for the journal Europace is: Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon St., Oxford OX2 6DP, England.
Keywords: United Kingdom, Bristol, Cardiology, Congenital Heart Disease, Syncope.
This article was prepared by Cardiovascular Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Cardiovascular Week via NewsRx.com.
