D. Cornacchia et al., Latest generation of unipolar and bipolar steroid eluting leads - Long-term comparison of electrical performance in atrium and ventricles, EUROPACE, 2(3), 2000, pp. 240-244
One hundred and seventy-three patients, mean age 74 years permanently paced
with 123 atrial (53 unipolar. 70 bipolar) and 143 ventricular (73 unipolar
, 70 bipolar) pacing leads were included in this study. The pacing leads we
re recent generation low surface area steroid eluting leads from one manufa
cturer: leads with silicone and polyurethane insulation were studied, and t
hey were combined with generations of one pacemaker family from the same ma
nufacturer permitting identical measurements to be made over a follow-up of
2 years. Pacing threshold was measured using pulse duration at a fixed vol
tage of 1.5 V: peak to peak P and R wave amplitude and pacing impedance at
2.5 V and 0.5 ms were all measured using the manufacturer's standard progra
mmer. Although many significant differences, in the parameters measures, ex
isted between atrium and ventricle and unipolar and bipolar configurations,
none was felt to be of clinical significance. These data permit the physic
ian to choose the lead type with regard to sensing performance and long-ter
m lead integrity.