Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Emergency out-of-hours catheter ablation for ventricular arrhythmia storm: a UK and Australian experience
- Retrospective cohort study
- 2 tertiary hospitals
- consecutive patients
Authors' conclusion
Out-of-hours CA may occasionally be required to control VA storm and can be safe and efficacious in this scenario. During follow-up, cardiac transplant and/or mortality is common but undergoing out-of-hours CA was not predictive of this composite endpoint.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with ventricular arrhythmia (VA) storm refractory to anti-arrhythmic drugs and sedation, UK and Australia
- Participants
- 25 vs 91
- Exposure
- Out-of-hours vs daytime-hours emergency catheter ablation for VA storm
- Out-of-hoursn = 25
- Daytime-hoursn = 91reference
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Survival free from cardiac transplant and/or mortality · median follow-up 377 days
Hazard ratio
1.34
95% CI 0.61–2.96
P = 0.47
By group
Out-of-hours vs Daytime-hours
HR 1.34 (95% CI 0.61–2.96); P = 0.47
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Baseline: LVEF ≤35%
P = 0.022
Baseline: CKD
P < 0.001
Baseline: presentation after resuscitated OHCA
P < 0.001
- VA-free and VA storm-free survival among 11 out-of-hours survivors · 1 year after catheter ablation (CA)
- 91% · VA-free survival · VA storm-free survival 100%
- VA-free and VA storm-free survival among 11 out-of-hours survivors: 11 survivors of follow-up
Survival free from recurrent VA and VA storm
- Similar in both groups
Original publication
Emergency out-of-hours catheter ablation for ventricular arrhythmia storm: a UK and Australian experience. Europace. Published 4 August 2023. doi:10.1093/europace/euad215
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it