September 5, 2007–DALLAS–Device-related infections developed in fewer than 1% of patients within a year of pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation, according to a study to be published in the September 18th issue of Circulation (published online on August 27th). The Prospective Evaluation of Pacemaker Lead Endocarditis (PEOPLE) study of 6,000+ patients in 44 medical centers in France found that the risk was lowest among patients receiving a device for the first time and patients who were given antibiotic prophylaxis. People who had a fever 24 hours before the implantation procedure were more likely to develop infections.
Study findings also suggest that the predicted gains of any reinterventions should be carefully weighed against the increased risk of infection lest they cause more harm than they prevent. "The consequences of an early reintervention for a noninfectious complication can be considerably more serious than the original complication itself," according to the authors.
For more information: Klug D, Balde M, Pavin D, et al. Risk factors related to infections of implanted pacemakers and cardioverter-defibrillators. Results of a large prospective study. Circulation published online August 27, 2007.