Abstract
The purpose of this report was to study the clinical features and the incidence of ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) after cardiac pacemaker (PM) implantation in 60 paced patients. Sixty patients were divided into two groups, non-physiological PM (VVI group: 26 cases) and physiological PM (PP group: 34 cases). Six patients developed CVD, three with cardiogenic embolism, two with lacunar infarction, another one with TIA due to the stenotic ICA lesion, We found a significantly higher incidence of CVD in VVI group compared to PP group (p<0.05), and VVI group had a tendency to increase the incidence of cardiogenic embolism (p<0.1). These two groups were comparable with respect to follow-up period, clinical background and the incidence of new onset of atrial fibrillation (Af) after implantation. Our data indicate that the type of CVD after PM implantation is not only cardiogenic embolism but also the other type of stroke, and that cardiogenic embolism tend to occur more frequently in VVI group compared to PP group. A prospective randomized study appears to be necessary to confirm the relationship between pacing modes and strokes. with a special reference to the type of stroke.
