Quantitative Comparison of Rate Response and Oxygen Uptake Kinetics Between Different Sensor Modes in Multisensor Rate Adaptive Pacing

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Abstract
Although multisensor pacing may mitigate the inadequacy of rate adaptation in a single sensor system, the clinical role of multisensor driven rate adaptive pacing remains unclear. The cardiopulmonary performance of six patients (mean age 63.5 +/- 10 years) who had undergone the implant of combined QT and activity VVIR (Topaz(TM) pacemakers was assessed during submaximal and maximal treadmill exercise with the rate response sensor randomly programmed to either single sensor mode, QT and activity (ACT), or dual sensor mode, with equal contribution of QT and ACT (QT = ACT), The rate of response, the proportionality, oxygen kinetics, and maximal exercise performance of the various sensor modes during exercise were measured and compared. The ACT sensor mode ''overpaced'' and the QT and QT = ACT sensor modes ''underpaced'' during the first three quartiles of exercise (p < 0.05). The ACT sensor mode also gave the fastest rate of response with the shortest delay (13 +/- 1.5 sec vs 145 +/- 58 sec and 41 +/- 17 sec, P < 0.05), time to 50% rate response (39 +/- 2.7 sec vs 275 +/- 48 sec and 203 +/- 40 sec, P < 0.05), and time to 90% of rare response (107 +/- 21 sec vs 375 +/- 34 sec and 347 +/- 34 sec, P < 0.05) and a smaller oxygen debt (0.87 +/- 0.16 L vs 1.10 +/- 0.2 L and 1.07 +/- 0.18 L, P < 0.05) compared to the QT and QT = ACT sensor modes, respectively. These differences were most significant at low exercise workloads. Thus, different sensor combinations result in different rate response profiles and oxygen delivery, especially during low level exercise. However, the observed oxygen kinetics difference was workload dependent, and its clinical relevance remains to be tested. Despite the marked difference in exercise rate profile and oxygen kinetics, there was no difference in the maximal oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold, and exercise duration between the various sensor modes during maximal exercise.