OBJECTIVE: Cardiac resynchronization therapy has been used in the treatment of advanced heart failure with inter- and intraventricular dyssynchrony for more than ten years. AIM OF THE STUDY: A retrospective study was conducted to assess midterm results of biventricular (BiV) pacing in cardiac resynchronization therapy. METHODS: 128 consecutive patients (age 61.0+/-9.6, 98 males), with heart failure NYHA class 2.9+/-0.4 (2.5-3.5), with LBBB, QRS> or =130 ms, with dilated cardiomyopathy--DCM (86), with coronary artery disease--CAD (36), with both these etiologies (4) and with valvular disease (2) had a BiV PM (82) or BiV ICD (46) implanted in 2000-2007. AV delay was optimized individually, using echocardiography. Before and 3 months after implantation, the following was established: NYHA class, LVEF (echocardiographically), maximum oxygen uptake (spiroergometrically), left ventricle diastolic diameter and mitral regurgitation. The average follow-up time was 25.8+/-20.8 months. Complications and 2-year survival (n=68) were also assessed. RESULTS: 1) After 3 months of BiV pacing, NYHA class improved from 2.9+/-0.4 to 2.4+/-0.6 (n=99, p<0.001), LVEF increased from 20.2+/-4.9 to 23.9+/-6.6 % (n=92, p<0.001). Left ventricle diastolic diameter decreased from 69.8+/-8 to 67.5+/-10.0 mm (n=88, p=0.001) and mitral regurgitation was reduced from 2.2+/-0.9 to 1.9+/-0.9 (n=87, p=0.001) and maximum oxygen uptake during spiroergometry increased from 14.5+/-2.7 to 15.5+/-2.6 ml/min/kg (n=52, p=0.005). 2) Coronary sinus lead reposition was done in 2.3 %, epicardial lead implantation in 4.7 %, atrial lead reposition in 2.3 %, and right ventricular lead reposition in 2.3 % of patients. Contralateral reimplantation due to inflammatory complications in 1.6 % of patients. 3) Heart transplantation was performed on 9 patients. 4) Two-year survival was recorded in 77.9 % of 68 followed patients (72.2 % in CAD, 79.6 % in DCM). CONCLUSION: In the retrospective study of patients with BiV pacing a decline in heart failure, an increase in cardiac pump efficiency, reverse remodelling of left ventricle and acceptable occurrence of complications were confirmed (Tab. 4, Fig. 7, Ref. 18). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk

1st Department of Internal Medicine Cardiology and Angiology St Anne Faculty Hospital Brno Czech Republic