# The effect of right ventricle septal pacing versus apical pacing in dual-chamber pacemakers on patients’ anxiety and depression: a one-year follow-up study

## TL;DR

This study compares how two pacemaker lead positions affect anxiety and depression in patients over one year.

## Contribution

It shows that septal pacing reduces depression compared to apical pacing in pacemaker patients.

## Key findings

- Apical pacing was linked to higher depression levels after 6 months and 1 year.
- Septal pacing caused less stress and depression in patients.
- Complications were strongly associated with higher anxiety and depression scores.

## Abstract

Anxiety and depression are potentially harmful outcomes of permanent cardiac pacemakers. Dual-chamber P.P.M. is frequently used to treat life threatening bradycardia. The study aims to estimate the effect of the right ventricular PM lead position on recipients’ anxiety and depression before, 6 months, and 1 year after implantation.

A statistically significant correlation was discovered between the studied groups regarding HADS depression score after 6 months (p 0.013) and 1 year (p 0.013). A statistically non-significant difference was found among the studied groups at any point of time regarding baseline (p 0.063), after 6 months (p 0.054), or after 1 year (p 0.099). Significance was found between HADS anxiety score (p 0.015) or depression score after 1 year and the incidence of complications (p 0.001).

A strong relationship was found between the level of depression and the R.V. site of implantation, as patients with the apical group had higher levels of depression post-implantation. The septal position has less stress and depression on the patient’s well-being than the apical one.