Holter ECG Monitoring during Research Bronchofiberoscopy in Patients with Asthma

Bronchoscopy is a very useful tool in asthma research studies. The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of bronchoscopy, BAL and bronchial biopsies on heart rate and arrhytmias in patients with asthma. Twenty patients (12 M, 8 F, mean age 39.6 ± 16.3 yrs) with asthma (mean FEV₁ 81 ± 19.5% pred.; mean FEV₁%VC 69 ± 12.3%) participated in the study. Holter ECG monitoring was performed twice: before (1 or 2 days) and on the day of bronchoscopy. Heart rate and cardiac arrhythmias were compared to prebronchoscopy recording at four separate time intervals: during bronchoscopy, first postbronchoscopic hour, second postbronchoscopic hour andtotal 24 h. There were no significant differences between mean heart rate at the time of bronchoscopy (88.5 ± 14.1 min⁻¹ vs. 83.7 ± 11.9 min⁻¹), first and second postbronchoscopic hour (80.9 ± 15.8 min⁻¹ vs. 85.7 ± 13.7 min⁻¹ and 82.6 ± 13.6 min⁻¹ vs. 80.6 ± 11.6 min⁻¹) as well as total 24 h (76.1 ± 11.2 min⁻¹ vs. 75.9 ± 9.4 min-1) as compared to prebronchoscopic recordings. Max. heart rate during bronchoscopy was higher as compared to the corresponding time of prebron-choscopic recording (134.5 ± 11.5 min⁻¹ vs. 122.5 ± 19.6 min⁻¹, p < 0.05). No differences in the number and type of ventricular (VA) and supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA) between the pre- and peribronchoscopic monitoring were observed. Positive correlation between the age and the number of VA during bronchoscopy has been found. Conclusion: Bronchoscopic procedures in asthma patients do not increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Some factors influencing the heart rate and number of VA during bronchoscopy can be identified.