Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Sudden cardiac death in newly diagnosed non-ischaemic or ischaemic cardiomyopathy assessed with a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator: the German nationwide SCD-PROTECT study
- Prospective cohort study
- observational
- multicentre
- nationwide
Authors' conclusion
The SCD-PROTECT study highlights a substantial risk of SCA due to VT/VF during the early phase of guideline-recommended medical therapy optimization in patients with newly diagnosed reduced LVEF, regardless of ischaemic or non-ischaemic origin.
Study context
- Population
- All patients in Germany who received a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD), December 2021–May 2023
- Participants
- 19,598 patients
- Exposure
- Non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) vs MI/CAD
- Outcome
- Incidence of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) due to sustained VT/VF (appropriate WCD-delivered treatments), events per 100 patient-years
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
First appropriate WCD treatment
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
LVEF improvement to >35% · mean 65.9 ± 43.8 days
All appropriate WCD treatments (overall incidence density)
per 100 patient-years
- NICM (first of the respective groups)
- 8.53 (95% CI 7.36-9.88)
- MI/CAD (second of the respective groups)
- 14.98 (95% CI 12.69-17.65)
- groups given as "the respective groups" after NICM and MI/CAD
ICD implantation at end of WCD use
- Patients implanted with an ICD at end of WCD use
- 36.2%
Safety
Inappropriate shocks
- Inappropriate shocks (all patients)
- 0.5%
Original publication
Sudden cardiac death in newly diagnosed non-ischaemic or ischaemic cardiomyopathy assessed with a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator: the German nationwide SCD-PROTECT study. Eur Heart J. Published 29 August 2025. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf668
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it