Arrhythmias & electrophysiology

Catheter Ablation vs Sotalol or Amiodarone for Ventricular Tachycardia: A Substudy of the VANISH2 Trial

J Am Coll CardiolPublished Secondary analysis of the VANISH2 randomised trial

Authors' conclusion

In the sotalol-eligible patients, ablation led to lower risk of the primary composite endpoint. In the amiodarone-eligible group, efficacy outcomes were comparable between ablation and amiodarone. Adverse events were more marked among patients randomized to amiodarone

Study context

Population
Patients with prior MI and ventricular tachycardia (VT)199 sotalol / 217 amiodarone strata
Participants
416 patients
Comparison
Catheter ablation vs sotalol or amiodarone, by drug-eligibility stratum
  • Ablation (sotalol stratum)n = 95
  • Sotaloln = 104reference
  • Ablation (amiodarone stratum)n = 108
  • Amiodaronen = 109reference
Primary endpoint
Death, appropriate ICD shock, VT storm, or treated sustained VT below ICD detection limit
Follow-up
>14-days postrandomization
Methodological detailsprespecified substudy, multicentre, stratified by drug eligibility
  • Prespecified substudy
  • Multicentre
  • Stratified by drug eligibility

Primary result

As reported in the abstract

Primary composite endpoint, by stratum · median 4.3 years

Ablation (sotalol stratum) vs Sotalol

Estimate (95% CI)P value
Hazard ratio
0.64(0.43–0.94)
P = 0.02

Ablation (amiodarone stratum) vs Amiodarone

Estimate (95% CI)P value
Hazard ratio
0.86(0.61–1.22)
P = NS

Secondary outcomes

OutcomeAblation (sotalol stratum)SotalolAblation (amiodarone stratum)AmiodaroneHR (95% CI)P value
Sustained VT below detectionAblation (sotalol stratum)vs Sotalol2.1%17.3%6.5%15.6%0.12 (0.03–0.5)P = 0.004
Sustained VT below detectionAblation (amiodarone stratum)vs Amiodarone0.41 (0.17–0.99)P = 0.048

Safety

OutcomeAblation (amiodarone stratum)Amiodarone
Adverse events, amiodarone stratum
Noncardiac death5.6%16.5%
Respiratory failure4.6%11.0%
HF hospitalization19.4%31.2%
Sepsis5.6%9.2%
Pneumonia3.7%11.9%
Pulmonary fibrosis/infiltrate0%4.6%

Original publication

Catheter Ablation vs Sotalol or Amiodarone for Ventricular Tachycardia: A Substudy of the VANISH2 Trial. J Am Coll Cardiol. Published 11 October 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2025.09.1595

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