Abstract 17469: Comparing the Effect of CRT Implantation on Quality of Life in Older Patients Compared With Younger Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: CRT had been accepted as standard of care for patients with HFrEF who qualify for the therapy. The pivotal CRT trials enrolled patients significantly younger than the typical HFrEF patients seen in the community. Benefits of CRT in older HFrEF patients is largely unknown. We sought to evaluate the change in quality of life in older patients undergoing CRT in comparison to younger patients. Hypothesis: CRT implantation is associated with comparable improvements in quality of life in younger patients (age <70) and older patients (age 70 and above). Methods: PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science were queried for comparative effectiveness studies of CRT in older HFrEF patients. We gathered data for Quality of life measurements including improvement in NYHA class, MLHFQ, Six minute walk test. MLHFQ, Six minute walk test data was analyzed qualitatively as data was insufficient to impute Standard deviation for mean change. Changes in NYHA class was analyzed quantitatively. Random effects meta-analysis of improvement in NYHA class and relative risk (RR) is reported along with estimates of heterogeneity Results: Seven studies [n=2494 for younger group and n=1035 for older group] were included in changes in NYHA class meta-analysis. Older age group patients had similar improvement in NYHA class compared to younger age group patients. Relative risk 0.99 with 95%CI 0.93-1.06 (figure). Five studies reported Baseline and follow up MLHFQ scores for both the groups. All the five studies reported improvements in MLHFQ in both the groups. Three studies reported change in six minute walk test in meters before and after CRT implantation. All the studies reported improvement in six minute walk test both in younger and older group. Conclusions: People older than 70 years of age with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction who qualify for CRT derive similar benefits with improvement in quality of life compared to patients aged less than 70 years of age.