Does change in device detected frequency of non-sustained or diverted episodes serve as a marker for inappropriate shock therapy? Analyses from the INTRINSIC RV and ALTITUDE-REDUCES Trials.
OBJECTIVE
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) treat ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation but may also deliver unnecessary shocks. We sought to determine if the frequency of ICD-detected non-sustained or diverted (NSD) episodes increases before appropriate or inappropriate ICD shocks.


RESULTS
We evaluated NSD episodes in the INTRINSIC RV Trial and their relationship to ICD shocks (appropriate and inappropriate). Time from NSD to shock was analysed. Results were validated by utilizing 1495 adjudicated ICD and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator shocks following NSD episodes collected through the LATITUDE remote monitoring system as part of the ALTITUDE-REDUCES Study. In INTRINSIC RV, 185 participants received 373 shocks; 148 had at least 1 NSD episode. Non-sustained or diverted frequency increased 24 h before the first shock for those receiving an inappropriate (P < 0.01) but not an appropriate shock (P = 0.17). Patients with NSD episodes within 24 h of a shock were significantly more likely to receive inappropriate therapy [odds ratio (OR) = 3.12, P < 0.01]. At the receiver operator curve determined optimal cutoff, an NSD episode within 14 min before shock strongly predicted inappropriate therapy (sensitivity 48%, specificity 91%; OR = 8.8, and P < 0.001). The 14 min cut-off evaluated on an independent dataset of 1495 shock episodes preceded by an NSD in the ALTITUDE-REDUCES Study confirmed these results (sensitivity = 47%, specificity = 85%, OR = 5.0, and P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Device-detected NSD episodes increase before inappropriate but not appropriate shocks. Novel alerts or automated algorithms based on NSD episodes may reduce inappropriate shocks.
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
Renee M
RM
Sullivan
Milan
M
Seth
Kellie
K
Berg
Kira Q
KQ
Stolen
Paul W
PW
Jones
Andrea M
AM
Russo
F Roosevelt
FR
Gilliam
Brian
B
Olshansky
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators; Inappropriate activations