Chronic mechanical circulatory support for inotrope-dependent heart failure patients who are not transplant candidates: results of the INTrEPID Trial.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the impact of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support on survival and quality of life in inotrope-dependent heart failure patients ineligible for cardiac transplantation.


BACKGROUND
The role for LVADs as a bridge to cardiac transplantation has been established, but data supporting their role as permanent therapy in nontransplant candidates are limited.


METHODS
The INTrEPID (Investigation of Nontransplant-Eligible Patients Who Are Inotrope Dependent) trial was a prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial comparing LVAD with optimal medical therapy (OMT). Fifty-five patients with New York Heart Association functional class IV symptoms who failed weaning from inotropic support were offered a Novacor LVAD. Eighteen of these patients did not receive an LVAD owing to patient preference (n = 14) or unavailability of the device (n = 4) but consented to follow-up and constitute a contemporaneous control group.


RESULTS
The LVAD and OMT patients were well matched for demographic and disease severity measures, except OMT patients had a lower mean serum sodium (128 mg/dl vs. 134 mg/dl; p = 0.001) and a higher mean blood urea nitrogen concentration (59 vs. 40; p = 0.02). The LVAD-treated patients had superior survival rates at 6 months (46% vs. 22%; p = 0.03) and 12 months (27% vs. 11%; p = 0.02). Adverse event rates were higher in the OMT group. Eighty-five percent of the LVAD-treated patients had minimal or no heart failure symptoms. Five LVAD patients and 1 OMT patient improved sufficiently while on therapy to qualify for cardiac transplantation.


CONCLUSIONS
Inotrope-dependent heart failure patients who are ineligible for transplantation have a high short-term mortality rate and derive a significant survival advantage from "destination" mechanical circulatory support.
Rogers
Joseph G
JG
Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA. joseph.rogers@duke.edu
Butler
Javed
J
Lansman
Steven L
SL
Gass
Alan
A
Portner
Peer M
PM
Pasque
Michael K
MK
Pierson
Richard N
RN
D000368:Aged; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000075202:Contraindications; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents