Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Impact of repeat ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with structural heart disease
- Retrospective cohort study
- single-centre
- consecutive patients
Authors' conclusion
While complete freedom from VT after repeat ablation in SHD was difficult to achieve, ablation led to a significant reduction in VT and shock burden.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with structural heart disease referred for repeat ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation after previous ablation at a tertiary centre over 7 years (53% ischaemic cardiomyopathy, 91% males, median age 65 years, mean LVEF 35%)
- Participants
- 210 patients
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Efficacy of repeat VT ablation: acute elimination of clinical VTs, VT recurrence, shock and VT burden · 25-month follow-up
- Clinical VTs acutely eliminated
- 82%
- VT recurrence during follow-up
- 46%
- Reduction of shock burden, first year
- 73%
- Reduction of shock burden, until end of follow-up
- 61%
- Reduction of VT burden, first year
- 55%
- Reduction of VT burden, until end of study
- 36%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Combined endpoint of ventricular assist device implantation, heart transplantation or death
- Patients reaching combined endpoint
- 52 (25%)
Predictors of worse prognosis
- Advanced NYHA class, anteroseptal substrate and periprocedural complication after repeat ablation associated with worse prognosis, independently of cardiomyopathy type
Original publication
Impact of repeat ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with structural heart disease. Europace. Published 21 December 2023. doi:10.1093/europace/euad367
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it