Long-Term Outcomes in ICD: All-Causes Mortality and First Appropriate Intervention in Ischemic and Nonischemic Etiologies.

Real-life data comparing the long-term outcome in patients with different heart diseases carrying an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) are scarce. This study aimed to compare the long-term risk of the first appropriate ICD intervention and overall survival in patients with ICD and heart disease of different etiologies. Patients with an ICD implanted between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2022, followed in our center were included. Study outcomes were all-cause mortality and first appropriate ICD intervention. A comparison between ischemic heart disease (IHD) and non-IHD (NIHD) was performed. In NIHD different etiologies of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were analyzed. Overall, 1184 patients (592 IDH; 592 NIHD) were included. During a median follow-up of 53 months all-cause death occurred in 399 patients (34%) whereas first appropriate ICD intervention occurred in 320 (27%). All-cause mortality was significantly higher in IHD vs NIHD patients (60% vs 43%; p <0.0001) but no differences in appropriate ICD intervention rate at 10 years (34% vs 40%; p = 0.125) were observed. In patients with NIHD, a higher 10-year mortality rate was found in valvular heart disease, post-radio/chemotherapy DCM (rctDCM), and hypertensive DCM. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, alcoholic DCM, and rctDCM were the least arrhythmic phenotypes in NIHD. Of note, inappropriate interventions in alcoholic DCM and rctDCM were higher than appropriate ones. In conclusion, the rate of ICD-appropriate interventions and mortality is different according to the etiology of heart disease and cardiovascular risk profile; this should be taken into consideration in the prognostic stratification of these patients at the time of implantation.

Short- and long-term survival in patients over 90 years old undergoing pacemaker implantation.

AIMS: In Italy, 12-month survival in the general population between 90 and 94 years old is 26%. In very old patients, the benefit of pacemaker implantation in terms of quality and duration of life is unclear. The aim of our study was to analyse clinical characteristics, outcome and factors associated with survival in patients at least 90 years old at the time of the first pacemaker implant. METHODS: Clinical parameters, device characteristics, survival and predictors of outcome in patients at least 90 years old treated with a pacemaker in our centre in 2019-2020 were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 554 patients undergoing pacemaker implantation in our centre during the study interval, 69 (12%) were at least 90 years old; a complete/advanced atrioventricular block was present in 65%. A cardiological comorbidity (excluding atrial fibrillation) was present in 22 patients (32%). Oncological, pulmonary and neurological comorbidities were present in 12 (17%), 19 (28%) and 32 (46%), respectively. Renal impairment was present in 25 patients (36%). After pacemaker implantation, a pneumothorax developed in two patients and lead dislodgment in one. During follow-up (median 17 months, interquartile range: 13-24), 32 patients died (46%), with a 12-month mortality probability of 24.6%. At multivariate analysis, the presence of oncological (hazard ratio (HR) 5.31; P < 0.001) and neurological (HR 6.44; P < 0.001) comorbidities was associated with mortality. Truncating the outcome at 6 months, renal impairment (HR 8.01; P = 0.003), anticoagulant therapy (HR 8.14; P = 0.003), oncological comorbidities (HR 14.1; P < 0.001) and left ventricular function (5% increase of left ventricular ejection fraction: HR 0.66; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with outcome. CONCLUSION: At our centre, patients at least 90 years old underwent pacemaker implantation mainly for advanced atrioventricular block. One-year survival was excellent, even better than expected in the general population.