[Provocation of supraventricular arrhythmia in the diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome].

The diagnostic value of routine evaluations of sinus function and of analysis of sinus pause lengths were compared in 31 patients with a brady- and tachycardia types of the sick sinus syndrome after abolishing the tachyarrhythmic paroxysms provoked during an electrophysiological study. The study was performed by transesophageal electric stimulation. The sensitivity of the two modes of diagnosing the sick sinus syndrome was comparable: 55.5-65.2% for the former and 47.7-69.6% for the latter mode. Their concomitant application increases the diagnostic value of electrophysiological studies in patients with suspected brady- and tachycardia types of the sick sinus syndrome by more than 17%.