Usefulness of a clinical risk score to predict the response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

BACKGROUND: Almost 1/3 of heart failure patients fail to respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). A simple clinical score to predict who these patients are at the moment of referral or at time of implant may be of importance for early optimization of their management. METHODS: Observational study. A risk score was derived from factors associated to CRT response. The derivation cohort was composed of 1301 patients implanted with a CRT defibrillator in a multi-center French cohort-study. External validation of this score and assessment of its association with CRT response and all-cause mortality and/or heart transplant was performed in 1959 CRT patients implanted in 4 high-volume European centers. RESULTS: Independent predictors of CRT response in the derivation cohort were: female gender (OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.26-3.45), NYHA class ≤ III (OR = 2.71, 95% CI 1.63-4.52), left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 25% (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.27-2.41), QRS duration ≥ 150 ms (OR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.25-2.30) and estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60 mL/min (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.48-2.72). Each was assigned 1 point. External validation showed good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test-P = 0.95), accuracy (Brier score = 0.19) and discrimination (c-statistic = 0.67), with CRT response increasing progressively from 37.5% in patients with a score of 0 to 91.9% among those with score of 5 (Gamma for trend = 0.44, P < 0.001). Similar results were observed regarding all-cause mortality or heart transplant. CONCLUSION: The ScREEN score (Sex category, Renal function, ECG/QRS width, Ejection fraction and NYHA class) is composed of widely validated, easy to obtain predictors of CRT response, and predicts CRT response and overall mortality. It should be helpful in facilitating early consideration of alternative therapies for predicted non-responders to CRT therapy.

Access to and clinical use of cardiac implantable electronic devices and interventional electrophysiological procedures in the European Society of Cardiology Countries: 2016 Report from the European Heart Rhythm Association.

AIMS: The aim of this analysis was to provide comprehensive information on the access to and use of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) and catheter ablation therapy in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) area. METHODS AND RESULTS: The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) has been collecting descriptive and quantitative data on invasive arrhythmia therapies since 2008. This year 50 of the 56 ESC member countries provided data for the EHRA White Book. Up-to-date information on procedure rates for the last 5 years together with information on demographics, economy, vital statistics, local healthcare systems, and training activities is presented for each country and the 5 geographical ESC regions. Our analysis indicated that considerable heterogeneity in the access to arrhythmia therapies still exists across the ESC area. In 2015, the CIED implantation rates per million population were highest in the Western followed by the Southern and Northern European countries. The catheter ablation activity was largest in the Western followed by the Northern and Southern areas. Overall, the procedure rates were 3-10 times higher in the European than in the non-European ESC countries. Economic resources were not the only driver for utilization of arrhythmia therapies as in some Eastern European countries with relative low gross domestic product the procedure rates exceeded the average values. CONCLUSION: These data will help the healthcare professionals and stakeholders to identify and to understand in more depth the trends, disparities, and gaps in cardiac arrhythmia care and thereby promote harmonization of cardiac arrhythmias therapies in the ESC area.

Current trends in the use of cardiac implantable electronic devices and interventional electrophysiological procedures in the European Society of Cardiology member countries: 2015 report from the European Heart Rhythm Association.

AIMS: The aim was to provide comprehensive information on the use of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) and catheter ablation therapy in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) area. METHODS AND RESULTS: The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) has collected data on use of invasive arrhythmia managements since 2008. Fifty-one of the 56 ESC member countries provided data for the EHRA White Book 2015. This analysis is based on the current and previous editions of the EHRA White Book. Up-to-date information on procedure rates for the last 5 years together with information on economic resources, reimbursement systems, and training requirements are presented for each country and the five geographical ESC regions. In 2014, the CIED implantation rates per million population were highest in the Western followed by the Southern and Northern European countries. The catheter ablation activity was largest in the Western followed by the Northern and Southern areas. Altogether the procedure rates were lowest in the Eastern European and in the non-European ESC countries. In the European ESC countries, the procedure rates were 3-10 times higher than in the non-European ESC countries. However, in some countries with a relatively low gross domestic product the procedure rates exceeded the average values indicating that utilization of arrhythmia therapies was not driven merely by the economic factors. CONCLUSION: This analysis indicates that considerable heterogeneity in the availability and utilization of arrhythmia therapies still exist across the ESC area. The data will hopefully aid in directing future activities and promote harmonization of cardiac arrhythmia care in the ESC countries.

The Year in Cardiology 2013: arrhythmias.

The Year in Cardiology 'arrhythmias' presents an update on the latest studies and innovations published in the field within the last 12 months. Recent advances in the management of atrial fibrillation and novel treatment strategies and technologies are presented. New consensus documents to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with inherited cardiac arrhythmias and for paediatric patients with cardiac arrhythmias are summarized. Great progress has also been made in the field of cardiac implantable electronic devices: improvements in implantation techniques and novel technologies have been introduced and successfully applied. In addition, novel data on prevention of implantable cardioverter defibrillator-shocks and cardiac resynchronization therapy will certainly help to improve the quality of care for patients with cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure.

Terapia de resincronización cardíaca: importancia de los cambios vasculares periféricos en la reducción de la poscarga ventricular y mejora de la eficiencia ventricular / Cardiac resyncronization therapy: importance of peripheral vascular changes en reduction of ventricular after load and improvement of ventricular efficiency

La terapia de resincronización cardíaca (TRC) asociaría cambios vasculares que contribuirían a explicar sus beneficios y a comprender las diferencias en la respuesta a la terapia. Sin embargo, actualmente la evaluación de los efectos y respuesta a la TRC se centra únicamente en la estimación de los cambios en la estructura-función ventricular. Objetivo: 1) caracterizar los cambios en la poscarga y energética ventricular izquierda asociados a la TRC, y 2) analizar la importancia de los cambios vasculares periféricos en el desempeño ventricular postTRC. Método: en 25 pacientes (14 hombres, 61±12 años) consecutivos derivados para TRC, se evaluaron parámetros estándar de estructura y función ventricular y arterial, antes y después de TRC. Se obtuvo la presión aórtica central, el gasto cardíaco (GC), la carga arterial neta, poscarga y sus determinantes. Resultado: la TRC resultó en aumento del GC y la complacencia arterial, y en reducción de la resistencia vascular periférica (RVP), impedancia aórtica, diámetros y volúmenes ventriculares (p<0,05). La conjunción de cambios ventrículo-arteriales resultó en reducción de poscarga (-19%). Si no hubiera caída de la RVP, la poscarga aumentaría (~44-56%), con reducción de la eficiencia ventricular. Conclusión: la TRC resulta en reducción de la poscarga por cambios en las diferentes componentes de carga. Los beneficios de la TRC en términos de desempeño ventricular y reducción de la poscarga se explican por cambios ventriculares y vasculares (simultáneos). La mejora ventricular con aumento del GC sin cambios vasculares periféricos asociados resultaría en detrimento de las condiciones de trabajo ventricular (aumento de poscarga)

[Technical innovations and limitation in cardiac electrotherapy]. / Technische Innovationen und Limitationen im Bereich der Elektrotherapie.

Coronary sinus (CS) lead positioning is one of the main determinants of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The implantation of the CS lead is faced with several technical difficulties that may prevent the achievement of a stable position and good performance of the CS lead without phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS). New developments in catheter and lead technology to overcome these difficulties are presented.