Society

China's first large pacemaker study presented

By Shan Juan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-05-31 15:59

The results of the first multicenter, random pacemaker study ever conducted in China was presented at an international conference in the United States.

The study, according to two leading cardiologists in China, shows that a new model of pacemaker with a physiologic pacing function can help improve patients' life quality and extend the device's battery life.

The findings of the study, PANORAMA, were released during this year's annual Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society in Denver, Colo., in mid-May.

PANORAMA was designed to evaluate the automatic features incorporated in the EnPulse pacemaker, a relatively new model. It can automatically and continuously search for natural intrinsic conduction and reduce unnecessary right ventricular pacing. A total of 398 patients were enrolled at 32 centers across China.

"The PANORAMA study is the first multicenter, randomized pacemaker study ever conducted in China, which demonstrates that using automatic features such as atrial capture management and algorithms to reduce unnecessary ventricular pacing not only provides safe and physiologic pacing, but may have significant device longevity benefits," said Dr. Shu Zhang, chief of Cardiology at Fuwai Hospital in Beijing and principal investigator for the study.

Atrial Capture Management automatically adjusts electrical impulses sent to the right atrium. It adjusts pacing automatically, which may help patients feel better and minimize the time spent in a physician's office.

The PANORAMA study showed a significant reduction in median ventricular pacing (87.5 percent reduction at six months) due to increased physiologic pacing with the help of the EnPulse pacemaker.

"The longevity of one's pacemaker is particularly important for patients in China since they pay a large portion of the device cost," said Dr. Geng Xu, chief of Cardiology at Zhejiang University Second Affiliated Hospital, based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

"The PANORAMA study suggests using the automatic features of the EnPulse pacemaker may extend the device longevity by almost two years, creating a more cost-effective option for patients in China," he said.

Heart disease is now the leading cause of death in China, and costs the nation about $16 billion every year, statistics show.