Authors
- Marija Brestovac — University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0003-1542-2890
- Blanka Glavaš Konja — University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0003-1134-4856
- Martina Lovrić Benčić — University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0001-8446-6120
- Vlatka Rešković Lukšić — University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0002-4721-3236
- Kristina Gašparović — University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0002-1191-4831
- Jadranka Šeparović Hanževački — University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0002-3437-6407
Keywords
cardiac resynchronization therapy, echocardiographic optimization, left ventricular volume
DOI
https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2021.203Full Text
Introduction : Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a widely used method in the treatment of symptomatic patients with advanced heart failure and LBBB. Its beneficial impact on the reduction of left ventricular (LV) volumes has already been shown. ( 1 , 2 ) The aim of this study was to determine if echocardiographic optimization of CRT pacing intervals (ECHO) after CRT device implantation has a favorable impact on LV volume change compared to electrocardiographic optimization (ECG). Patients and Methods : An overall of 147 patients with implanted CRT according to guidelines were included in this study and divided into two groups according to the CRT optimization method (N=70 in ECG arm an N=77 in ECHO arm). ECG optimization was performed using 12-lead electrocardiogram, fusion-optimized intervals, intracardiac electrogram-based algorithms and electrocardiographic imaging. ECHO optimization implied correction of atrioventricular, inter- and intraventricular dyssynchrony using echocardiographic imaging. The change in LV end-diastolic (EDV), end-systolic (ESV) and stroke volume (SV) as well as LV ejection fraction (EF) was compared between groups, before and 6 months after CRT implantation. Results : EDV and ESV significantly decreased and EF increased in both groups. In the ECHO a statistically significant reduction in EDV compared to ECG was present (p=0.028). According to greater EDV reduction, SV significantly decreased in ECHO (p=0.026). No significance was observed in ESV change between groups (p=0.063) ( Table 1 ). Conclusion : ECHO optimization of CRT leads to a more significant reduction of EDV compared to ECG optimization after 6 months of follow up.