Atropine for prevention of cardiac dysrhythmias in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing percutaneous ethanol instillation: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) is an established method in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). During this procedure, severe cardiac bradyarrhythmias can occur. A preemptive injection of atropine is recommended by professional guidelines to prevent these dysrhythmias.

METHODS: Patients scheduled for PEI were randomized 1:1 to receive 0.5 mg atropinehydrochloride or placebo in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Patients were electrocardiogram monitored, which were then analysed by an experienced rhythmologist blinded to the treatment arm.

RESULTS: Patients in 40 consecutive PEI sessions were included. During PEI, a significant reduction in the mean heart rate (>15%) was seen in 15% of patients in the placebo group (median, -37%; range, 15-41%) and in 25% of patients receiving atropine (median, -20%; range, 16-64%). There was no significant difference between both groups. During PEI, two patients (10%) in the placebo group developed a sinuatrial block (SAB). Four patients in the atropine group (20%) developed arrhythmias: three patients SAB, one of them with escape rhythm and one AV-bundle block. Blood ethanol levels post-PEI, amount of instilled ethanol, tumour size and location were not different between patients with or without dysrhythmias.

CONCLUSION: In this randomized-controlled trial, a preprocedure atropine injection did not prevent the occurrence of bradyarrhythmias. Prophylactic use of atropine might not be effective and therefore cannot be recommended as a routine procedure. Clinicaltrials.gov-identifier: NCT00575523.