Abstract 14604: Arrhythmia Burden With Right-Heart Catheterization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Current guidelines cite complete heart block as a complication of invasive hemodynamic monitoring. This was described to be higher in those with existing intraventricular conduction delays. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the true risk of arrhythmias and pacemaker implantation rates in patients undergoing right-heart catheterization or with pulmonary artery catheter use. Methods: A literature search was performed from inception until May 2022. Studies that reported incidence rates of arrhythmias in those undergoing right-heart catherization or with pulmonary catheter use, including right- (RBBB) and left-bundle branch (LBBB), were included. Some studies described the development of complete heart block (CHB) and need for pacing. Results: Six single-center studies were included in our analysis with a total of 8, 077 right-heart catheter insertions. All patients had continuous ECG monitoring. Most frequently reported arrhythmia was premature ventricular ectopy (56.4%). No fatal ventricular arrhythmias were described and when noted, RBBB was transient in nature (0.2%, n=12/7577). The risk of CHB was 12.8% (n=24) in those with pre-existing LBBB (n=187). Pacing needs were infrequently described, but when reported was 6.3% (n=10) of concordant CHB and LBBB (n=160), and this was 0.2% of all described LBBB patients (n=6292) ( Figure ). Conclusion: Most arrhythmias were benign and transient in nature. The risk of CHB requiring pacing needs was only 0.2%. This begs the question of true burden of the theoretical complication of CHB with invasive hemodynamic monitoring, and most evidence is from decades ago.