227 Follow-up of patients implanted with Pacemakers in France : The ELECTRA survey 2008

The ELECTRA survey aims to know the monitoring practices of French implanters while there exist published referentials.MethodsA questionnaire containing 32 items including single choice answer questions on the support, the type of ECG recording, the timing of controls and the parameters measured was sent to implanting centers in 2008.Résultats103 completed questionnaires (27%) were received. Operators (98% males) had an experience in pacemaker implantation for <2 years (10%), 2 to 10 years (27%) and >10 years(63%). The volume of implantation was in 2007 <50 devices (18%), 50 to 100 (37%) and >100 (45%). Implanting centers belonged to the public sector (63%) or private hospitals (37%).1Follow-up (FU): 47% are performed without any support (public 22%, private 78%). 53% receive assistance (public 76%, private24%): nurse 73%, orderly 12%, 15% manufacturing engineer.2Physician alone performs multitrack ECG in 61% vs 77% for assisted physicians, and EGM +/- ECG programmer in 39% vs 23%.31st FU after implant at 1 month (52%), 3 m(44%) or 6 m(3%). Single and dual chamber PM FU: every 3 m(1%), 6 m(36%) or 12 m(63%). For CRT -PM: every 3 m(9%), 6 m(75%) or 12 m(16%).4Manual stimulation thresholds is systematic (84%) or if clinical problem (5%) while 11% trust in automatic function. Manual sensing test is systematic (77%) if clinical problem (9%) while 12% trust in automatic function.5Memories is checked systematically (92%) or if clinical relevance (6%).6Stimulo-dependance is systematically searched (76%) or if clinical relevance(24%), communicated to the patient(54%) and to the GP(75%).ConclusionIf the multitrack ECG is common, physician without support use more often the programmer only, hence the interest in EGM collections and good quality prints. Assistance is common in public centers without any codified rules. Follow-ups are more frequent in CRT-PM. Physicians are interested in memories but they are not confident in the automatic functions