Use of steroid therapy as a bridge to decision-making in patients with late rising pacing threshold after pacemaker implantation?

Abstract

The late rising pacing threshold is an alarming situation in which a possibility of lead dislodgement is usually considered first. This condition is usually picked up on routine follow-up interrogation; however, it can clinically manifest as syncope due to bradyarrhythmia. We report such a case in a 59-year-old male presenting to the emergency with syncope with a double chamber pacemaker in situ. He had a history of pacemaker implantation 16 years back and a pulse generator replacement (PGR) 6 years back with desirable parameters found immediately and up to 4 years after PGR. He was found to have a complete heart block on an electrocardiogram following the evaluation of presyncope and subsequently on his pacemaker interrogation high threshold was found which improved to acceptable levels after 4 weeks of steroid therapy.