Longitudinal dissociation and transition in thickness of the His-Purkinje system cause various QRS waveforms of surface ECG under His bundle pacing: A simulation study based on clinical observations.

AIMS: His bundle pacing (HBP) is a feasible and reliable alternative to conventional right ventricular pacing (RVP), but associated ECG (electrocardiogram) changes have not been well-studied. This study aimed to determine the mechanisms underlying ECG changes associated with HBP using patient-specific multiscale heart simulations.

METHODS: ECGs were recorded in two patients who were treated by HBP under a native rhythm and HBP at high and low voltages. We created patient-specific multiscale simulation heart models of these patients and performed ECG simulation under these conditions. Using these results and detailed information on the electrical field around the pacing lead, we investigated mechanisms underlying the observed ECG changes.

RESULTS: Heart simulations successfully reproduced ECGs under a native rhythm for both cases. In case 1, nonselective HBP produced a left bundle branch (LBB) block pattern, which was reproduced as a selective right bundle branch (RBB) pacing. However, in case 2, ECG under nonselective HBP showed an RBB block pattern, which could not be reproduced by the commonly used framework. Findings on the electrical field and anatomy of the His bundle and its branches suggested that longitudinal dissociation of the His bundle and transition of thickness in the stem of the LBB caused a conduction delay in the RBB to produce these ECG changes in this patient.

CONCLUSION: Variations in the anatomy of the His bundle and its branches may underlie the diverse ECG responses to HBP. These variations should be taken into account when performing this therapy.