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(Circulation. 1997;96:2813-2822.)
© 1997 American Heart Association, Inc.

Articles

Application of Models of Defibrillation to Human Defibrillation Data

Implications for Optimizing Implantable Defibrillator Capacitance

Charles D. Swerdlow, MD; James E. Brewer, MS; Robert M. Kass, MD; ; Mark W. Kroll, PhD

From the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (C.D.S.) and Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (R.M.K.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine. J.E. Brewer is now at SurVivalink Corp, Minneapolis, Minn; Dr Kroll is now at Pacesetter Corp, Sylmar, Calif.

Correspondence to Charles D. Swerdlow, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers, 8635 W Third St, Suite 1190 W, Los Angeles, CA 90048. E-mail swerdlow{at}ucla.edu

Background Theoretical models predict that optimal capacitance for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) is proportional to the time-dependent parameter of the strength-duration relationship. The hyperbolic model gives this relationship for average current in terms of the chronaxie (t_c). The exponential model gives the relationship for leading-edge current in terms of the membrane time constant (_m). We hypothesized that these models predict results of clinical studies of ICD capacitance if human time constants are used.

Methods and Results We studied 12 patients with epicardial ICDs and 15 patients with transvenous ICDs. Defibrillation threshold (DFT) was determined for 120-µF monophasic capacitive-discharge pulses at pulse widths of 1.5, 3.0, 7.5, and 15 ms. To compare the predictions of the average-current versus leading-edge-current methods, we derived a new exponential average-current model. We then calculated individual patient time parameters for each model. Model predictions were validated by retrospective comparison with clinical crossover studies of small-capacitor and standard-capacitor waveforms. All three models provided a good fit to the data (r²=.88 to .97, P<.001). Time constants were lower for transvenous pathways (53±7 ) than epicardial pathways (36±6 ) (t_c, P<.001; average-current _m, P=.002; leading-edge-current _m, P<.06). For epicardial pathways, optimal capacitance was greater for either average-current model than for the leading-edge-current model (P<.001). For transvenous pathways, optimal capacitance differed for all three models (P<.001). All models provided a good correlation with the effect of capacitance on DFT in previous clinical studies: r²=.75 to .84, P<.003. For 90-µF, 120-µF, and 150-µF capacitors, predicted stored-energy DFTs were 3% to 8%, 8% to 16%, and 14% to 26% above that for the optimal capacitance.

Conclusions Model predictions based on measured human cardiac-muscle time parameter have a good correlation with clinical studies of ICD capacitance. Most of the predicted reduction in DFT can be achieved with 90-µF capacitors.

Key Words: defibrillation • waves • heart-assist device

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