Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesMeta-analysis
Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator in patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy: a meta-analysis
- systematic review
- meta-analysis
- random-effects model
- 50 non-controlled observational studies
Authors' conclusion
Patients with NICM face a significant risk of SCD during the drug optimisation period before deciding if they qualify for ICD implantation. Results of this meta-analysis are based on non-comparative studies; however, the assessment of an appropriate shock delivered and recorded by the WCD is highly reliable.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged ≥18 years with newly diagnosed non-ischaemic cardiomyopathies (NICM) (≤90 days) who were recipients of wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD)patients with NICM in 50 non-controlled observational studies
- Participants
- 10,066 patients
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Appropriate WCD shocks (proxy for sustained ventricular arrhythmia)
Further pooled results
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation · end of follow-up
- Patients who received an ICD, between 6% (Takotsubo syndrome) and 43% (congenital/inherited or genetic cardiomyopathy)
- 6% to 43%
Safety
Inappropriate WCD shocks
- Inappropriate shocks ranged from
- 0% to 1%
Original publication
Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator in patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy: a meta-analysis. Heart. Published 9 March 2026. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2025-326956
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it