Background: Some studies have shown that patients with Brugada syndrome (BS) have atrioventricular conduction disturbance, but their sinus node function has not been evaluated.
Methods and results: The patients group consisted of 59 male patients and 1 female patient with BS. Supraventricular and ventricular programmed electrical stimulation (PES) was performed. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) or sustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia was induced by ventricular PES in 26 patients with BS (VF group), but was not induced in the other 34 patients (non-VF group). Sinus node function and conduction of the atrioventricular (AV) node in the control group, non-VF group and VF group were evaluated. Sinus node function was attenuated and the His - ventricle interval was prolonged in the VF group (corrected sinus node recovery time: 452+/-126 ms (VF group), 324+/-146 ms (non-VF group), Sino-atrial conduction time: 179+/-60 ms (VF group), 127+/-60 ms (non-VF group), His-ventricle interval: 41+/-9 ms (VF group), 35+/-8 ms (non-VF group)).
Conclusion: The function of both the sinus node and AV node are attenuated in patients with PES-induced VF.