Interatrial Block Predicts Atrial Fibrillation and Total Mortality in Patients with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Interatrial block (IAB) and abnormal P-wave terminal force in lead V1 (PTFV1) are electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities that have been shown to be associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and death. However, their prognostic importance has not been proven in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) recipients. OBJECTIVE: To assess if IAB and abnormal PTFV1 are associated with new-onset AF or death in CRT recipients. METHODS: CRT recipients with sinus rhythm ECG at CRT implantation and no AF history were included (n = 210). Automated analysis of P-wave duration (PWD) and morphology classified patients as having either no IAB (PWD <120 ms), partial IAB (pIAB: PWD ≥120 ms, positive P waves in leads II and aVF), or advanced IAB (aIAB: PWD ≥120 ms and biphasic or negative P wave in leads II or aVF). PTFV1 >0.04 mm•s was considered abnormal. Adjusted Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of IAB and abnormal PTFV1 on the primary endpoint new-onset AF, death, or heart transplant (HTx) and the secondary endpoint death or HTx at 5 years of follow-up. RESULTS: IAB was found in 45% of all patients and independently predicted the primary endpoint with HR 1.9 (95% CI 1.2-2.9, p = 0.004) and the secondary endpoint with HR 2.1 (95% CI 1.2-3.4, p = 0.006). Abnormal PTFV1 was not associated with the endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: IAB is associated with new-onset AF and death in CRT recipients and may be helpful in the risk stratification in the context of heart failure management. Abnormal PTFV1 did not demonstrate any prognostic value.

Atrial fibrillation incidence and impact of biventricular pacing on long-term outcome in patients with heart failure treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

BACKGROUND: In patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an unfavorable outcome and may cause loss of biventricular pacing (BivP). An effective delivery of BivP of more than 98% of all ventricular beats has been shown to be a major determinant of CRT-success. METHODS: At a Swedish tertiary referral center, data was retrospectively obtained from patient registers, medical records and preoperative electrocardiograms. Data regarding AF and BivP during the first year of follow-up was assessed from CRT-device interrogations. No intra-cardiac electrograms were studied. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox-regression analyses adjusted for age, etiology of heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction, left bundle branch block and NYHA class were performed to assess the impact of AF and BivP on the risk of death or heart transplantation (HTx) at 10-years of follow-up. RESULTS: Preoperative AF-history was found in 54% of the 379 included patients and was associated with, but did not independently predict death or HTx. The one-year incidence of new device-detected AF was 22% but not associated with poorer prognosis. At one-year, AF-history and BivP≤98%, was associated with a higher risk of death or HTx compared to patients without AF (HR 1.9, 95%CI 1.2-3.0, p = 0.005) whereas AF and BivP> 98% was not (HR 1.4, 95%CI 0.9-2.3, p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: In CRT-recipients, AF-history is common and associated with poor outcome. AF-history does not independently predict mortality and is probably only a marker of a more severe underlying disease. BivP≤98% during first-year of CRT-treatment independently predicts poor outcome thus further supporting the use of 98% threshold of BivP, which should be attained to maximize the benefits of CRT.

Atrial high-rate episodes predict clinical outcome in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

OBJECTIVES: Up to 50% of patients qualified for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) have documented atrial fibrillation (AF) prior to CRT-implantation. This finding is associated with worse prognosis but few studies have evaluated the importance of post-implant device-detected AF. This study aimed to assess the prognostic impact of device-detected atrial high-rate episodes (AHRE), as a surrogate for AF. DESIGN: Data were retrospectively obtained from consecutive patients receiving CRT. Baseline clinical data and data from CRT device-interrogations, performed at a median of 12.2 months after CRT-implantation, were evaluated with regard to prediction of the composite endpoint of death, heart transplant or appropriate shock therapy. Median follow-up time was 51 months post-implant. RESULTS: The study included 377 patients. Preoperative AF was present in 49% and associated with worse outcome. The cumulative burden of AHRE at 12 months post-implant was an independent predictor of the primary endpoint. During the first 12 months after CRT-implantation, AHRE were detected in 25% of the patients with no preoperative diagnosis of AF. This finding was not associated with worse outcome. CONCLUSIONS: In CRT recipients, the cumulative burden of AHRE during the first year of follow-up was associated with worse long-term clinical outcome. Prospective trials are needed to determine if a rhythm control strategy is to be preferred in patients with CRT.

Ventricular high-rate episodes predict increased mortality in heart failure patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) for heart-failure patients has a well-documented positive effect, but the overall mortality in this group remains high. This study aimed to explore whether additional information from the device post-implant (occurrence of ventricular high-rate episodes), could add prognostic value for patients on CRT-pacemaker (CRT-P) treatment. DESIGN: Clinical data and device-interrogation data were retrospectively gathered from the medical records of 220 patients treated with CRT-P. Ventricular high-rate (VHR) episodes were defined as a ventricular rate ≥ 180 beats per minute. The primary outcome was 5-year mortality. RESULTS: During follow-up, 132 patients (60%) died or underwent heart transplant. Overall, the 5-year mortality rate was 52%; 77% for patients with VHR during the first year of follow-up and 48% for patients without VHR during the first year of follow-up (p = 0.001). In a multivariate model, the occurrence of VHR episodes was an independent predictor of 5-year mortality (HR 9.96, p = 0.022). The most common cause of death was heart failure, and death from arrhythmia did not differ between groups (p = 0.065). CONCLUSIONS: In heart-failure patients with CRT-P therapy, occurrence of VHR episodes within the first year post-implant was an independent predictor of higher 5-year mortality and inferior long-term survival, but not of death from malignant arrhythmia.

Usefulness of the Sum Absolute QRST Integral to Predict Outcomes in Patients Receiving Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces mortality and morbidity in selected patients with heart failure (HF), but up to 1/3 of patients are nonresponders. Sum absolute QRST integral (SAI QRST) recently showed association with mechanical response on CRT. However, it is unknown whether SAI QRST is associated with all-cause mortality and HF hospitalizations in patients undergoing CRT. The study population included 496 patients undergoing CRT (mean age 69 ± 10 years, 84% men, 65% left bundle branch block [LBBB], left ventricular ejection fraction 23 ± 6%, 63% ischemic cardiomyopathy). Preimplant digital 12-lead electrocardiogram was transformed into orthogonal XYZ electrocardiogram. SAI QRST was measured as an arithmetic sum of areas under the QRST curve on XYZ leads and was dichotomized based on the median value (302 mV ms). All-cause mortality served as the primary end point. A composite of 2-year all-cause mortality, heart transplant, and HF hospitalization was a secondary end point. Cox regression models were adjusted for known predictors of CRT response. Patients with preimplant low mean SAI QRST had an increased risk of both the primary (hazard ratio [HR] 1.8, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.2) and secondary (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.2) end points after multivariate adjustment. SAI QRST was associated with secondary outcome in subgroups of patients with LBBB (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.5 to 3.0) and with non-LBBB (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.6). In patients undergoing CRT, preimplant SAI QRST <302 mV ms was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization. After validation in another prospective cohort, SAI QRST may help to refine selection of CRT recipients.