1. Protected risk stratification with the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator: results from the WEARIT-II-EUROPE registry.
- Author
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Veltmann C, Winter S, Duncker D, Jungbauer CG, Wäßnig NK, Geller JC, Erath JW, Goeing O, Perings C, Ulbrich M, Roser M, Husser D, Gansera LS, Soezener K, Malur FM, Block M, Fetsch T, Kutyifa V, and Klein HU
- Subjects
- Electrocardiography, Europe epidemiology, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Heart Failure epidemiology, Heart Failure physiopathology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Morbidity trends, Prospective Studies, Time Factors, Defibrillators, Implantable, Electric Countershock methods, Heart Failure therapy, Registries, Risk Assessment methods, Stroke Volume physiology, Ventricular Function, Left physiology
- Abstract
Background: The prospective WEARIT-II-EUROPE registry aimed to assess the value of the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) prior to potential ICD implantation in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction considered at risk of sudden arrhythmic death., Methods and Results: 781 patients (77% men; mean age 59.3 ± 13.4 years) with heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were consecutively enrolled. All patients received a WCD. Follow-up time for all patients was 12 months. Mean baseline LVEF was 26.9%. Mean WCD wearing time was 75 ± 47.7 days, mean daily WCD use 20.3 ± 4.6 h. WCD shocks terminated 13 VT/VF events in ten patients (1.3%). Two patients died during WCD prescription of non-arrhythmic cause. Mean LVEF increased from 26.9 to 36.3% at the end of WCD prescription (p < 0.01). After WCD use, ICDs were implanted in only 289 patients (37%). Forty patients (5.1%) died during follow-up. Five patients (1.7%) died with ICDs implanted, 33 patients (7%) had no ICD (no information on ICD in two patients). The majority of patients (75%) with the follow-up of 12 months after WCD prescription died from heart failure (15 patients) and non-cardiac death (15 patients). Only three patients (7%) died suddenly. In seven patients, the cause of death remained unknown., Conclusions: Mortality after WCD prescription was mainly driven by heart failure and non-cardiovascular death. In patients with HFrEF and a potential risk of sudden arrhythmic death, WCD protected observation of LVEF progression and appraisal of competing risks of potential non-arrhythmic death may enable improved selection for beneficial ICD implantation.
- Published
- 2021
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