ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC PREDICTORS OF RESPONSE TO CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY OF HEART FAILURE IN PATIENTS WITH DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY
The aim of our study was to identify electrocardiographic predictors of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods: 46 patients with DCM (76% men; mean age 48.8±12 years; mean NYHA class 3.09±0.3; mean QRS duration 167±30.1 ms; left ventricular ejection fraction 23.5±6%) had CRT implanted. Assessment of clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic (including TDI) and 12-lead surface ECG parameters was performed at baseline, in 24 hours post CRT implantation and after 6 months of follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression analysis selected the following independent predictors of response to CRT: two pre-implantation — baseline RS width in lead V <sub>1</sub>≥113.5 ms (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.814—1.00; p=0.000), BNP≤456 ήg/ml (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.797—1.00; p=0.001); and two post-implantation: shortening of QRS width — Δ QRS≥-24.5 ms (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.586—1.00; p=0.01) and shortening of RS V1 width — Δ RSV1 ≥-21.8 ms (S: 0.87, 95% CI 0.72—1.00; p= 0.002) in 24 hours after CRT.