title: Feasibility, safety, and mid-term efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with severe heart failure and ventricular conduction delay: Chulalongkorn experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart failure is a major and growing public health problem in developed and developing countries. Despite major advances in medical therapy, morbidity and mortality remain high. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been proposed as an adjunctive therapy in patients with drug-refractory heart failure and ventricular conduction delay. Short and long-term studies have demonstrated the clinical benefits of CRT.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to assess the feasibility, safety, and mid-term efficacy of CRT in patients with severe heart failure and ventricular conduction delay in the institute.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with severe heart failure in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 35%, QRS duration >120 ms with left bundle branch block morphology received CRT At baseline, and 6 months after implantation, the following parameters were evaluated: NYHA class, QRS duration, LVEF N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) level, 6-minute walking distance, SF-36 quality-of-life (QOL) score, and number of heart failure visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All clinical parameters improved significantly at 6 months. NYHA class decreased from 3.5 +/- 0.5 to 2.4 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.01). QRS duration decreased from 145 +/- 22 ms to 126 + 6 ms (p < 0.01). LVEF increasedfrom 21 +/- 6% to 31 +/- 12% (p < 0.01). NT-pro BNP level decreased from 2503 +/- 1953 pg/ml to 767 +/- 342 pg/ml (p < 0.01). The 6-minute walking distance increased from 153 +/- 122 m to 278 +/- 128 m (p < 0.01). QOL score improved from 66 +/- 14 to 98 +/- 25 (p < 0. 01). The number of heart failure visits was reduced from 3.8 +/- 3.7 per year to 0.5 +/- 0.8 visit per year (p < 0.01). Seventy percent of patients were free of heart failure visit for one year after implantation. One patient had sudden cardiac death eleven months after implantation. There was no procedure-related mortality. One patient had left ventricular lead dislodgement 3 months after implantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, CRT was safe and effective in improving heart failure symptom, functional status, LV function, and quality of life. CRT also reduced heart failure hospitalization in the presented severe heart failure and ventricular conduction delay patients.
authors: Cardiac Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, 1873 Rama 4 Rd, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. bunchasw@loxinfo.co.th
authors: Buncha
authors: B
authors: Sunsaneewitayakul
authors: Surapun
authors: S
authors: Sitthisook
authors: Somkiat
authors: S
authors: Sangwatanaroj
authors: Somchai
authors: S
authors: Prechawat
authors: Smonporn Boonyaratavej
authors: SB
authors: Songmuang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy