title: Three year outcome of cardiac resynchronization therapy: a single center evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term clinical outcome and device performance of cardiac resynchronization therapy in a consecutive sample of patients with moderate to severe heart failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1998 and 2000, forty consecutive patients with drug-refractory heart failure due to ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were selected for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). After successful implantation of the coronary sinus lead (n = 35, 88%), patients were followed every sixth month by New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, the 6-minute walking test (6 walk), quality of life (QoL, Minnesota), and pacemaker control. NYHA-class and 6 walk were significantly improved after 6 months and continued to improve gradually until 36 months of follow-up. The QoL improvement at 6 months was sustained over 3 years. After 3 years, the beta-blocker dose could be increased in 10/23 patients as compared to baseline. Nine patients had to be re-operated. Coronary sinus lead thresholds were stable over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical improvements by CRT are sustained over 3 years of follow-up. In the setting of a University Medical Center, CRT can be applied in clinical routine with excellent clinical outcome, acceptable implantation success, and stable device performance over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ståhlberg
authors.forename: Frieder
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braunschweig
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gadler
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Linde
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome