Study of Pacing Dependency in Patients with a Cardiac Implanted Electronic Device at the National Teaching Hospital of Cotonou in 2023

Introduction: Pacing dependency is defined as the inadequacy or absence of intrinsic rhythm that can lead to bradycardia-related symptoms or cardiac arrest upon cessation of ventricular stimulation. The aim of the present work was to study it in a sample of patients followed at the CNHU-HKM in Cotonou. Method and patients: This was a descriptive, analytical cross-sectional study carried out at the University Cardiology Clinic of Cotonou from February 1 to August 1, 2023. It included an exhaustive sampling of all patients admitted as outpatients for follow-up of a cardiac implanted electronic device (CIED). The variables studied were the presence or absence of pacing dependency and the factors associated with it. Results: One hundred and eleven patients were included, aged 69.6 ± 13.7 years. The sex ratio was 0.91. The type of CIED was a pacemaker in 96.4% of patients. Complete atrioventricular block was the indication for pacemaker implantation in 76.6% of cases. On the electrocardiogram, 82% of patients had a paced rhythm. During the control by programmer, pacing dependency was found in 45.1% of cases. In multivariate analysis, female gender, preoperative complete atrioventricular block and less than 12 months of CIED wearing time were significantly associated with pacing dependency. Conclusion: This result is highly dependent on the criteria used to define pacing dependency. The associated factors identified have also been found by other authors. Other factors remain to be discovered in studies involving larger samples.