Studying the Effectiveness of Pacemaker Therapy in Children Who Have Thickened Heart Muscle

Launched by NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE (NHLBI) · Jan 18, 2000

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Studies suggest that DDD pacemaker therapy is effective in improving symptoms and reducing intra-ventricular pressures and pressure gradients in children with obstructive HCM during a period of rapid body growth when the severity of the disease is expected to worsen. We propose a randomized, cross-over study of DDD pacing versus placebo (AAI pacing mode) in children who have limited exercise performance and/or symptoms despite medical therapy (beta-blocker or verapamil). Study subjects will receive a pacemaker and will be randomized to one of two pacing modes (DDD, AAI). After a 1-year foll...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • Children of either gender, aged 4 to 18 years.
• • Obstructive HCM defined as LV hypertrophy, and an LV intra-cavitary pressure gradient measured at cardiac catheterization of greater than or equal to 30 mm Hg at rest or greater than or equal to 50 mm Hg following isoproterenol infusion to a heart rate of greater than or equal to 100 beats per minute.
• • Cardiac symptoms (chest discomfort, dyspnea, lightheadedness or presyncope, syncope, cardio-respiratory arrest, palpitations, excessive fatigue); and/or exercise duration which is less than 10th percentile predicted for age/gender despite a trial of a beta-blocker therapy and a trial of verapamil therapy.
• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • Other systemic diseases that prevent assessment by exercise tests and cardiac catheterization.
• • Chronic atrial fibrillation.
• • Positive pregnancy test: A negative urine pregnancy test will be required before each cardiac catheterization, electrophysiologic study and thallium study. Pregnant or lactating subjects may not participate in the study due to potential teratogenic effects of radiation.