Is the ventricular effective refractory period different when determined by incremental versus decremental scanning?: the effect of pacing cycle length, d-sotalol, and levcromakalim.

In the clinical setting, the ventricular effective refractory period (VERP) is determined by an 8-beat drive train (S1S1), followed by a premature stimulus (S2), which is decremented in subsequent drive trains until capture is lost. Variation in intertrain pauses and capturing extra stimuli disturb steady-state conditions and reduce reproducibility of values found for the VERP. To increase reproducibility, a protocol without intertrain pause and incremental scanning (IS) of S2 was developed. In anesthetized dogs with chronic AV block, determination of the VERP using IS and decremental scanning (DS) without intertrain pause was compared at 800 and 350 msec pacing cycle length (PCL). The measurements were repeated after the administration of d-sotalol to lengthen the VERP and levcromakalim to shorten the VERP. The results showed no difference between IS and DS at both PCLs with or without medication. Recurrent and abrupt rate changes were avoided during IS, making this the protocol of choice when induction of arrhythmias is to be avoided.