Mortality and Analyses of Death Causes in Congestive Heart Failure Patients with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Two Centers?

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the mortality and analyze the relevant factors lead to died after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Methods: 152 patients (from March 2001 to April 2011, 112 men, age 60.95±11.89 years) underwent CRT were enrolled. Results: 43 patients (28.29%) were died from March 2001 to May 20, 2011. The principal cause of death was cardiac origin in 31 patients (72.09%) including worsening heart function in 11 patients and sudden death in 16 patients, no cardiac origin in 12 patients (27.91%). Comparing with the survival, the deaths due to refractory heart failure were younger (p<0.05) and poor heart function (p<0.05) and large LVEDD (p<0.05) and higher PASP (p<0.05) and prolonging PR interval (p<0.05) before CRT. The LV leads at the posterior or lateral veins were positioned in 86% of survival and 45% of deaths from refractory heart failure (p<0.01). Conclusion: All-cause Mortality after CRT was about 28% in two centers. The optimal positions of LV leads were important to prevent worsening heart function. The rate of sudden death with CRT-P was higher. Therefore, although heart function was improved after CRT, it is important that primary prevention of sudden death.