Temporal Trends in Permanent Pacemaker Implantation: A Population-Based Study

Background—Limited data exist regarding temporal trends in permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation. To describe trends in incidence and comorbidities of (PPM) recipients, we conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study over a 30-year period. Methods—All 1291 adult residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota undergoing PPM implantation between 1975-2004 were included in the study. Trends in PPM implantation incidence, pacing mode and indication, and comorbidities (via Charlson comorbidity index [CCI]), were assessed through the Rochester Epidemiology Project. PPM recipients were compared with age- and sex-matched PPM-free controls from the population. Results—Adjusted implant incidence rates increased from 36.6 per 100,000 person-years during 1975-1979 to 99.1 per 100,000 person-years during 2000-2004 (p<0.0001). After adjusting for age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.06 per year), male sex (HR 1.28), and implant year (HR 0.98) the HR for deat