Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Predicting Survival in Ventricular Tachycardia Storm: The CHAMPS Risk Score and Implications for Ablation Timing
Authors' conclusion
VT storm is associated with high risk of acute in-hospital mortality and the CHAMPS score identifies patients at highest risk. Early catheter ablation is associated with significantly improved survival across risk categories.
Study context
- Population
- Patients admitted with ventricular tachycardia (VT) storm, 2015–2024met inclusion criteria, 363 (22%) died during the index hospitalization
- Participants
- 1,675 patients
- Exposure
- Mortality rates were compared across risk strata and by timing of VT ablation
- Outcome
- In-hospital mortality
- Follow-up
- Index hospitalization
Methodological details6 high-volume tertiary care centers, multivariable logistic regression, weighted clinical risk score development
- 6 high-volume tertiary care centers
- Multivariable logistic regression
- Weighted clinical risk score development
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Died during the index hospitalization
363
22%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Low-risk (CHAMPS) | Moderate-risk (CHAMPS) | High-risk (CHAMPS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortality by CHAMPS risk stratum | 6.6% | 26.7% | 60.7% |
Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality
- Acute cerebrovascular accident (OR)
- 3.9
- Hypoxia resulting in intubation (OR)
- 3.8
- An admission diagnosis other than VT (OR)
- 4.1
- Severe malnutrition (OR)
- 1.4
- Multiple vasopressor agents (OR)
- 1.8
- Sepsis or fever (OR)
- 5.0
- Multivariable logistic regression
In-hospital mortality with early ablation
- Early ablation within 7 days protective against in hospital mortality (OR)
- 0.01
- VT ablation was performed in 59% of patients, and early ablation within 7 days of VT storm onset was protective against in-hospital mortality (OR: 0.01), independent of CHAMPS score
Original publication
Predicting Survival in Ventricular Tachycardia Storm: The CHAMPS Risk Score and Implications for Ablation Timing. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. Published 14 January 2026. doi:10.
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