Arrhythmias & electrophysiology

Ring-Like Scar Architecture and Arrhythmic Outcomes of Patients With Nondilated Left Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Treated With Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation

JACC Clin ElectrophysiolPublished Consecutive patients with nondilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy (NDLVC) undergoing ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation

Authors' conclusion

RL-LGE identifies patients with NDLVC with a more complex arrhythmogenic substrate and a poorer outcome after VT ablation.

Study context

Population
Patients with nondilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy (NDLVC) undergoing ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablationpatients included
Participants
Thirty-seven patients
Comparison
Patients with ring-like late gadolinium enhancement (RL-LGE) compared with patients without it
  • RL-LGEn = 21
Outcome
Left ventricular ejection fraction
Methodological detailssingle centre (Hospital Clínic of Barcelona), postprocessed cardiac magnetic resonance
  • Single centre (Hospital Clínic of Barcelona)
  • Postprocessed cardiac magnetic resonance

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

P < 0.0001

Further findings

Length of conducting channels · longer with RL-LGE

P < 0.0001

OutcomeEstimateP value
Predictors of VT recurrenceDense scarHR 1.13 per 1% increment (95% CI 1.05–1.22)P = 0.002
Predictors of VT recurrenceLength of conducting channelsHR 1.04 per 1 mm increase (95% CI 1.01–1.06)P = 0.006

Predictors of VT recurrence

ComparisonHR (95% CI)P value
Borderzone scar burden1.27 (1.11–1.45)P = 0.001
Number of conducting channels2.35 (1.42–3.91)P = 0.001

Adjusted risk of VT recurrence

ComparisonHR (95% CI)P value
RL-LGE24-fold higher in patients with RL-LGE; adjusted24.0 (2.8–207.1)P = 0.004
OutcomeRL-LGEWithout RL-LGEP value
Scar burdenGreater with RL-LGE16.2% (range 12.7%–20.0%)5.4% (range 5.0%–6.0%)P < 0.0001
Number of arrhythmogenic conducting channelsLarger with RL-LGE3 (range 2–4)1 (range 1–2)P < 0.0001

VT recurrence · median of 3 years of follow-up

Patients with VT recurrence
30%
Event rate
10.2%/year

Baseline characteristics

Age
44 years [IQR: 39-55]
Male
78%
Left ventricular ejection fraction
45% [IQR: 40-52]
RL-LGE observed
21 of 37 (57%)

Original publication

Ring-Like Scar Architecture and Arrhythmic Outcomes of Patients With Nondilated Left Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Treated With Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. Published 8 September 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacep.2026.07.019

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it

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