Article Text
Abstract
Objective Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is associated with a risk of sudden cardiac death. Optimal risk stratification is still under debate. The main purpose of this long-term, single-centre observation was to analyse predictors of appropriate and inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) interventions in the population of patients with ARVC with a high risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.
Methods The study comprised 65 adult patients (median age 40 years, 48 men) with a definite diagnosis of ARVC who received ICD over a time span of 20 years in primary (40%) or secondary (60%) prevention of sudden cardiac death. The study endpoints were first appropriate and inappropriate ICD interventions (shock or antitachycardia pacing) after device implantation.
Results During a median follow-up of 7.75 years after ICD implantation, nine patients died and six individuals underwent heart transplantation. Appropriate ICD interventions occurred in 43 patients (66.2%) and inappropriate ICD interventions in 18 patients (27.7%). Multivariable analysis using cause-specific hazard model identified three predictors of appropriate ICD interventions: right ventricle dysfunction (cause-specific HR 2.85, 95% CI 1.56 to 5.21, p<0.001), age <40 years at ICD implantation (cause-specific HR 2.37, 95% CI 1.13 to 4.94, p=0.022) and a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia (cause-specific HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.16 to 5.63, p=0.020). Predictors of inappropriate ICD therapy were not found. Complications related to ICD implantation occurred in 12 patients.
Conclusions Right ventricle dysfunction, age <40 years and a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia were predictors of appropriate ICD interventions in patients with ARVC. The results may be used to improve risk stratification before ICD implantation.
- arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
- implanted cardiac defibrillators
- ventricular tachycardia
- ventricular fibrillation
- cardiac arrest
Data availability statement
All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.
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- arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
- implanted cardiac defibrillators
- ventricular tachycardia
- ventricular fibrillation
- cardiac arrest
Data availability statement
All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.
Footnotes
Contributors OW (guarantor): general planning, interpretation of results, discussion. KB: reporting and integration of data. MK: conduct of echocardiographic studies. AC-M: conduct of statistical analysis. AP: conduct of ICD interrogations. ŁS: interpretation of ECG results. PH: interpretation of clinical results. KP: collection of data. EKB: general planning and interpretation of data.
Funding This work was supported by the National Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.