BACKGROUND: Device-based algorithms offer the potential for automated optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), but the process for accepting them into clinical use is currently still ad-hoc, rather than based on pre-clinical and clinical testing of specific features of validity. We investigated how the QuickOpt-guided VV delay (VVD) programming performs against the clinical and engineering heuristic of QRS complex shortening by CRT. METHODS: A prospective, 2-center study enrolled 37 consecutive patients with CRT. QRS complex duration (QRSd) was assessed during intrinsic atrioventricular conduction, synchronous biventricular pacing, and biventricular pacing with QuickOpt-proposed VVD. The measurements were done manually by electronic calipers in signal-averaged and magnified 12-lead QRS complexes. RESULTS: Native QRSd was 174 ± 22 ms. Biventricular pacing with empiric AVD and synchronous VVD resulted in QRSd 156 ± 20 ms, a significant narrowing from the baseline QRSd by 17 ± 27 ms, P = 0.0003. In 36 of 37 patients, the QuickOpt algorithm recommended left ventricular preexcitation with VVD of 42 ± 18 ms (median 40 ms; interquartile range 30-55 ms, P <0.00001). QRSd in biventricular pacing with QuickOpt-based VVD was significantly longer compared with synchronous biventricular pacing (168 ± 25 ms vs. 156 ± 20 ms; difference 12 ± 11ms; P <0.00001). This prolongation correlated with the absolute VVD value (R = 0.66, P <0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: QuickOpt algorithm systematically favours a left-preexcitation VVD which translates into a significant prolongation of the QRSd compared to synchronous biventricular pacing. There is no reason to believe that a manipulation that systematically widens QRSd should be considered to optimize physiology. Device-based CRT optimization algorithms should undergo systematic mechanistic pre-clinical evaluation in various scenarios before they are tested in large clinical studies.

1st Department of Internal Medicine Cardiology and Angiology University Hospital and Charles University Faculty of Medicine Hradec Králové Czech Republic

2nd Department of Internal Cardiovascular Medicine 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Cardiology Department Liberec Regional Hospital Liberec Czech Republic

Department of Cardiology Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine Prague Czech Republic

Department of Cardiovascular Sciences Policlinico Casilino of Rome Rome Italy

International Centre for Circulatory Health National Heart and Lung Institute Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital London United Kingdom

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