"Supernormal conduction" of a premature impulse utilizing the fast pathway in a patient with dual atrioventricular nodal pathways.

Abstract

Electrophysiological studies with atrial extrastimulus technique suggested the presence of dual atrioventricular (A-V) nodal pathways in a patient with hypothyroidism, as evidenced by a sudden increase of H1-H2 intervals at critical A1-A2 coupling intervals. Following the atrial extrastimulus (A2), a third impulse (A3) occurred spontaneously. During slow pathway conduction of A2, and A3, appearing at a critically timed interval allowed fast pathway conduction, resulting in an earlier than expected QRS (a form of supernormal conduction). This demonstration of fast pathway conduction during slow pathway conduction adds strong evidence for the existence of dual A-V nodal pathways.