Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34988535›Full record

ArticleHeart rhythm O22021

Oral procainamide as pharmacological treatment of recurrent and refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias: A single-center experience.

Mauro Toniolo, Daniele Muser, Giulia Grilli, Massimo Burelli, Luca Rebellato, Elisabetta Daleffe, Domenico Facchin, Massimo Imazio

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Heart rhythm O2, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Essential antiarrhythmic drug accessibility worldwide: a multi-survey study and comprehensive evaluation of access and supply challenges.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Management of patients with an electrical storm or clustered ventricular arrhythmias: a clinical consensus statement of the European Heart Rhythm Association of the ESC-endorsed by the Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, Heart Rhythm Society, and Latin-American Heart Rhythm Society.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2024
    Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Mauro TonioloCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Daniele MuserCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Giulia GrilliCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Massimo BurelliCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Luca RebellatoCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Elisabetta DaleffeCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Domenico FacchinCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Massimo ImazioCardiology Division, University Hospital S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia di Udine · ITUniversity of Trieste · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAntiarrhythmic therapy for recurrent ventricular arrhythmias in patients who have undergone catheter ablation, and in whom amiodarone and/or beta-blockers were ineffective or contraindicated, is a controversial issue.

objectiveThe present study sought to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of oral procainamide in patients with recurrent ventricular arrhythmias when the standard therapy strategy had failed.

methodsAll patients treated with procainamide for recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) in our institution between January 2010 and May 2019 were enrolled. The primary endpoint was the total number of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) interventions after the beginning of procainamide therapy. Secondary endpoints were the total number of VTs and VFs recorded on the ICDs' controls and discontinuation of therapy. The events occurring during procainamide treatment were compared with a matched-duration period before the initiation of therapy with procainamide. Patients therefore served as self-controls.

resultsA total of 34 consecutive patients (32 male, 94.1%; mean age 74.4 ± 9.7 years) were included in the retrospective analysis. The mean time of procainamide treatment was 12.9 ± 13.7 months (median 9 [2-20] months). The mean dose of procainamide was 1207 ± 487 mg/day. Procainamide therapy significantly decreased ICD interventions (median 5 [0-22.5] vs 15.5 [3-32.25],

conclusionOral procainamide was associated with a significant decrease in ICD therapies and ventricular arrhythmias, showing an acceptable profile of tolerability.

Indexed as

Antiarrhythmic drugsArrhythmias in heart failureICD therapiesProcainamideVentricular arrhythmias

Identifiers

PMID34988535
PMCPMC8710645
OpenAlexW4200107790

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.