Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To report and describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients with advanced atrioventricular block (AVB) in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: We included consecutive patients who underwent pacemaker implantation at King Khaled University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for advanced AVB, which was defined as second degree type 2 AVB, third degree AVB, and symptomatic atrial fibrillation with slow ventricular response. The variable "young patient" was defined as age of 60 or less, based on guidelines recommending cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) evaluation at this age or younger. RESULTS: Among 100 patients (median age: 71 males, 51%), 29 (29%) were young patients. Most patients had at least one comorbidity including hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia (81%). Young patients constituted 26.6% (n=21/79) of idiopathic AVB cases and only 23.8% (n=8/21) underwent CS evaluation (8/21). CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of AVB occurs in young patients. Yet, CS is often not ruled out. Future studies should define the yield of CS evaluation in the Saudi population when international consensus documents are followed.