NCT01043562

Precise Measurement of Pediatric Defibrillation Thresholds

Defibrillation Thresholds in a Pediatric Cohort Using Binary Search Protocol

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 20 (actual)
• Sponsor: Boston Children's Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Patients who receive an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) usually undergo testing at the end of the ICD procedure to measure the amount of energy able to successfully defibrillate the heart (defibrillation threshold testing, or DFT). This study proposes to perform that measurement in pediatric patients already undergoing clinically necessary ICD procedures, with the measurement performed using a binary search method that has been previously validated in adult cohorts. We hypothesize that pediatric DFTs, when precisely measured, may be lower than previously assumed from extrapolation of adult data.

Conditions

• Pediatrics
• Defibrillators, Implantable

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Defibrillator threshold testing	Measurement of the defibrillation threshold was performed using a modified binary search protocol. This protocol specified three distinct inductions of ventricular fibrillation (VF) for all subjects, with a 3-5 minute observation/waiting period between inductions. The initial shock energy was programmed at 9 joules (J) for all patients, with internal rescue shocks at 31J followed by device-specific maximum deliverable energy. The outcome of the initial induction determined the programmed energies for both the initial and internal rescue shocks for the second induction, and likewise for the third induction. All shocks were biphasic and delivered at manufacturers' default tilt, polarity and duration, and all final programmed shock vectors included an active can. External defibrillation pads were in place for delivery of external rescue shock should the internal shocks fail.
OTHER	Observation of post-shock intrinsic cardiac rhythm	Prior to each of the three ventricular fibrillation inductions performed as part of the binary search protocol, post-shock pacing was re-programmed using a pre-determined, stepwise protocol that progressively decreased the lower rate limit. For the purpose of this protocol, post-shock pacing was considered necessary if 1) ≥7 ventricular-paced beats or 2) asystole \>4 seconds was observed in the first 20 seconds after defibrillation, or if the systolic blood pressure demonstrated a \>10% decrease from pre-induction baseline at follow-up measurement 1 minute post-defibrillation. Rescue ventricular pacing via the programmer was available for all subjects.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-06-04
• Primary completion: 2010-05-26
• Completion: 2012-05-10
• First posted: 2010-01-07
• Last updated: 2018-02-05
• Results posted: 2018-02-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States