LvL-PACE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
LEFT BUNDLE BRANCH AREA PACING VERSUS RIGHT VENTRICULAR LEADLESS PACING: ACUTE EFFECTS ON BIVENTRICULAR AND TRICUSPID VALVE FUNCTION
IRAS ID
348341
Contact name
Christopher Aldo Rinaldi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
A pacemaker is a device designed to instruct the heart to pump when the native electrical conduction system of the heart deteriorates or fails. This prevents the heart from pumping too slowly or stopping altogether. Conventional pacemakers involve placing a pacemaker lead through a valve, known as the tricuspid valve, into the right bottom chamber of the heart, known as the right ventricle. Research has shown that this is associated with an increased risk of tricuspid valve malfunction, which in turn has been associated with increased mortality. In addition, research has shown that conventional pacemakers can lead to the impairment of both left and right heart function in the presence of certain risk factors.
In recent years, newer ways of pacing the heart, including using wireless pacemakers that do not traverse the tricuspid valve (also known as leadless pacemakers) and pacemakers that engage directly with the heart’s native conduction system (also known as left bundle branch pacemakers), are increasingly being adopted. However, the impact of these newer pacing technologies on the heart function and tricuspid valve, as well as how these technologies directly compare against each other, is unclear.
We aim to study the impact of leadless pacemakers and left bundle branch pacemakers on cardiac function and tricuspid valve by conducting an acute mechanistic study.
Outcomes from this study will improve our understanding of these newer pacing technologies that are emerging rapidly in their use. It could also guide decision-making regarding the ideal type of pacemaker to be adopted especially in patients who stand to suffer the most from developing tricuspid valve or right ventricular malfunction.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0149
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jun 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion