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IntroductionCardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) is utilized for the management of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in structural heart disease when refractory to radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or when patient/VT characteristics are not conducive to RFA.MethodsWe studied consecutive patients who underwent CSD at our institution from 2009 to 2018 with VT requiring repeat RFA post-CSD. Patient demographics, VT/procedural characteristics, and outcomes were assessed.ResultsNinety-six patients had CSD, 16 patients underwent RFA for VT post-CSD. There were 15 male and 1 female patients with mean age of 54.2 ± 13.2 years. Fourteen patients had nonischemic cardiomyopathy. A mean of 2.0 ± 0.8 RFAs for VT was unsuccessful before the patient undergoing CSD. The median time between CSD and RFA was 104 days (interquartile range [IQR] = 15-241). The clinical VT cycle length was significantly increased after CSD both spontaneously on ECG and/or ICD interrogation (355 ± 73 ms pre-CSD vs. 422 ± 94 ms post-CSD, p = .001) and intraprocedurally (406 ± 86 ms pre-CSD vs. 457 ± 88 ms post-CSD, p = .03). Two patients had polymorphic and 14 had monomorphic VT (MMVT) pre-CSD, and all patients had MMVT post-CSD. The proportion of mappable, hemodynamically stable VTs increased from 35% during pre-CSD RFA to 58% during post-CSD RFA (p = .038). At median follow-up of 413 days (IQR = 43-1840) after RFA, eight patients had no further VT.ConclusionRFA for recurrent MMVT post-CSD is a reasonable treatment option with intermediate-term clinical success in 50% of patients. Clinical VT cycle length was significantly increased after CSD with associated improvement in mappable, hemodynamically tolerated VT during RFA.

BackgroundCardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) is a promising treatment for patients with structural heart disease (SHD) and refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTs). The effect of CSD on atrial rhythm as well as the prognostic impact of atrial arrhythmias (AAs) or left atrial volume index (LAVI) on CSD outcome are unknown.ObjectivesThe goals of this study were to evaluate the impact of AAs and LAVI on CSD outcome and to assess changes in AAs burden and in atrial pacing after CSD.MethodsPatients with SHD undergoing CSD for VTs were analyzed. Hazards models were built to assess predictors of sustained VT/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shock recurrences and death/orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). Changes before vs after CSD were assessed using ICD, clinical, and echocardiographic data. A drug index was devised to correct for medication use.ResultsBetween 2009 and 2018, 91 patients (mean age 56 ± 13 years; mean left ventricular ejection fraction 34% ± 14%; 47% with a history of AAs) underwent left CSD (16%) or bilateral CSD (BCSD). The median follow-up was 14 months (interquartile range 4-37 months). Using multivariable analysis, neither LAVI nor AAs were associated with recurrences; LAVI was an independent predictor of death/OHT. AAs burden did not change after BCSD, but atrial pacing increased from a median of 28% to 72% (P < .01). Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter slightly increased; however, sustained VT/ICD shocks were reduced.ConclusionIn patients with SHD undergoing CSD, LAVI predicts death/OHT. AAs burden, already low at baseline, was unchanged after BCSD, while the need for atrial pacing increased, suggesting an impact of BCSD on sinus node chronotropism.

BackgroundCardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) has been shown to reduce the burden of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks in small series of patients with structural heart disease (SHD) and recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT).ObjectivesThis study assessed the value of CSD and the characteristics associated with outcomes in this population.MethodsPatients with SHD who underwent CSD for refractory VT or VT storm at 5 international centers were analyzed by the International Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation Collaborative Group. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate freedom from ICD shock, heart transplantation, and death. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze variables associated with ICD shock recurrence and mortality after CSD.ResultsBetween 2009 and 2016, 121 patients (age 55 ± 13 years, 26% female, mean ejection fraction of 30 ± 13%) underwent left or bilateral CSD. One-year freedom from sustained VT/ICD shock and ICD shock, transplant, and death were 58% and 50%, respectively. CSD reduced the burden of ICD shocks from a mean of 18 ± 30 (median 10) in the year before study entry to 2.0 ± 4.3 (median 0) at a median follow-up of 1.1 years (p < 0.01). On multivariable analysis, pre-procedure New York Heart Association functional class III and IV heart failure and longer VT cycle lengths were associated with recurrent ICD shocks, whereas advanced New York Heart Association functional class, longer VT cycle lengths, and a left-sided-only procedure predicted the combined endpoint of sustained VT/ICD shock recurrence, death, and transplantation. Of the 120 patients taking antiarrhythmic medications before CSD, 39 (32%) no longer required them at follow-up.ConclusionsCSD decreased sustained VT and ICD shock recurrence in patients with refractory VT. Characteristics independently associated with recurrence and mortality were advanced heart failure, VT cycle length, and a left-sided-only procedure.

Background: Autonomic modulation is finding an increasing role in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias. Renal denervation (RDN) has been described as a treatment modality for refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT) in case series.Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate RDN as an adjunctive therapy to cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) for ablation refractory VT.Methods: Patients who underwent RDN after radiofrequency ablation and CSD procedures at our center from 2012 to 2019 were evaluated.Results: Ten patients underwent RDN after CSD (9 bilateral and 1 left-sided only) with a median follow-up of 23 months. The mean age was 59.9 ± 10.4 years, and 9/10 (90%) were men. All had cardiomyopathy with a mean ejection fraction of 33% ± 11% (20% ischemic). Four (40%) underwent CSD during the same hospitalization as that for RDN. Patients who underwent RDN as adjunctive therapy to CSD had a decrease in all implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies (shocks + antitachycardia pacing [ATP]) from 29.5 ± 25.2 to 7.1 ± 10.1 comparing 6 months pre-RDN to 6 months post-RDN (P = .028). Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks were significantly decreased from 7.0 ± 6.1 to 1.7 ± 2.5 comparing 6 months pre-RDN to 6 months post-RDN (P = .026). This benefit was driven by a decrease in therapies for 6 patients who had a staged procedure, not performed during the same hospitalization (28.5 ± 24.3 to 1.0 ± 1.2; P = .043).Conclusion: RDN demonstrates the potential benefit when VT recurs after radiofrequency ablation and CSD. The benefit is seen in patients who undergo a staged procedure. The need for acute RDN after CSD portends a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in initiating and perpetuating ventricular arrhythmias. Neuromodulation procedures aimed at reducing sympathetic outflow to the heart, such as cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD), can successfully treat many patients with refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT). It is unknown if there is benefit in performing CSD in combination with renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) to treat refractory VT. Hypothesis: When used in combination with CSD and catheter ablation, RSD reduces ICD therapy burden in patients with refractory VT. Methods: We reviewed adult patients who underwent RSD at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center after presenting with refractory VT despite having received ablation(s) and, in all but one case, CSD. We evaluated the ICD therapy burden 1 month pre-RSD to monthly ICD therapies over the 6 month period post-RSD. Results: We performed RSD on 10 patients (mean age=62±10 years,90% male). Nine (90%) had NICM. Mean LVEF was 33±10%. All had prior catheter ablations for VT (median 2 ablations). Of the 9 patients who underwent RSD after CSD, 3 (33%) had both performed during the same hospitalization, of whom 1 died during the hospitalization due to uncontrollable VT. Median follow up was 6.5 months. No further deaths occurred during follow-up. The number of ICD therapies decreased significantly after RSD (total monthly VT episodes pre-RSD was median 11 (IQR 6-23) vs. post-RSD 0.33 (IQR 0-3), p=0.004; monthly ICD shocks pre-RSD was median 5 (IQR 1.5-8) vs. post-RSD 0 (IQR 0-1), p=0.004). Two patients (20%) had complete suppression of VT episodes post-RSD and 6 (60%) had over 75% reduction in VT episodes (Fig. 1). Conclusions: We found that RSD was often performed as an adjunctive treatment for patients presenting with refractory VT after catheter ablation and CSD. As hypothesized, RSD in conjunction with CSD significantly reduced the number of VT episodes and ICD shocks over the 6 months following the procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]