The economic impact of battery longevity in implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for cardiac resynchronization therapy: the hospital and healthcare system perspectives.

AIMS: Patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds) are likely to undergo one or more device replacements, mainly for battery depletion. We assessed the economic impact of battery depletion on the overall cost of CRT-D treatment from the perspectives of the healthcare system and the hospital. We also compared devices of different generations and from different manufacturers in terms of therapy cost. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed data on 1792 CRT-Ds implanted in 1399 patients in 9 Italian centres. We calculated the replacement probability and the total therapy cost over 6 years, stratified by device generation and manufacturer. Public tariffs from diagnosis-related groups were used together with device prices and hospitalization costs. Generators were from 3 manufacturers: Boston Scientific (667, 37%), Medtronic (973, 54%), and St Jude Medical (152, 9%). The replacement probability at 6 years was 83 and 68% for earlier- and recent-generation devices, respectively. The need for replacement increased total therapy costs by more than 50% over the initial implantation cost for hospitals and by more than 30% for healthcare system. The improved longevity of recent-generation CRT-Ds reduced the therapy cost by ∼6% in both perspectives. Among recent-generation CRT-Ds, the replacement probability of devices from different manufacturers ranged from 12 to 70%. Consequently, the maximum difference in therapy cost between manufacturers was 40% for hospitals and 19% for the healthcare system. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in CRT-D longevity strongly affect the overall therapy cost. While the use of recent-generation devices has reduced the cost, significant differences exist among currently available systems.

Longevity of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for cardiac resynchronization therapy in current clinical practice: an analysis according to influencing factors, device generation, and manufacturer.

AIMS: Device replacement at the time of battery depletion of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may carry a considerable risk of complications and engenders costs for healthcare systems. Therefore, ICD device longevity is extremely important both from a clinical and economic standpoint. Cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) battery longevity is shorter than ICDs. We determined the rate of replacements for battery depletion and we identified possible determinants of early depletion in a series of patients who had undergone implantation of CRT-D devices. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrieved data on 1726 consecutive CRT-D systems implanted from January 2008 to March 2010 in nine centres. Five years after a successful CRT-D implantation procedure, 46% of devices were replaced due to battery depletion. The time to device replacement for battery depletion differed considerably among currently available CRT-D systems from different manufacturers, with rates of batteries still in service at 5 years ranging from 52 to 88% (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Left ventricular lead output and unipolar pacing configuration were independent determinants of early depletion [hazard ratio (HR): 1.96; 95% 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.57-2.46; P < 0.001 and HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.25-2.01; P < 0.001, respectively]. The implantation of a recent-generation device (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.45-0.72; P < 0.001), the battery chemistry and the CRT-D manufacturer (HR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.47-0.89; P = 0.008) were additional factors associated with replacement for battery depletion. CONCLUSION: The device longevity at 5 years was 54%. High left ventricular lead output and unipolar pacing configuration were associated with early battery depletion, while recent-generation CRT-Ds displayed better longevity. Significant differences emerged among currently available CRT-D systems from different manufacturers.

Characterization of ventricular activation pattern and acute hemodynamics during multipoint left ventricular pacing.

BACKGROUND: Multipoint left ventricular (LV) pacing (MultiPoint Pacing [MPP], St Jude Medical, Sylmar, CA) in a single coronary sinus branch has been introduced as a novel means of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). It is speculated that MPP improves LV function by capturing a larger LV tissue area, resulting in uniform wavefront propagation throughout the ventricles, in comparison to conventional biventricular pacing (BIV). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate MPP by means of contact mapping and hemodynamic measures to understand the underlying mechanisms and effects. METHODS: Ten patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (mean age 69 ± 9 years; 6 men (60%); New York Heart Association heart failure class II or III; QRS duration 173 ± 20 ms; LV ejection fraction 27% ± 5%) received a CRT-defibrillator capable of MPP. After the implantation procedure, an acute pacing protocol was implemented, including 2 BIV and up to 9 MPP interventions. In all pacing interventions, LV electrical activation patterns and hemodynamics (dP/dtmax) were evaluated, and for each patient, both the resulting measures were compared between MPP and BIV interventions. RESULTS: Compared with BIV, MPP resulted in an increase in LV dP/dtmax (30% ± 13% vs. 25% ± 11%; P = .041), a reduction in QRS duration (22% ± 11% vs. 11% ± 11%; P = .01), and a decrease in total endocardial activation time (25% ± 15% vs. 10% ± 20%; P = .01). MPP resulted in a larger capture of LV mass during the first 25 ms (35% ± 22% vs. 16% ± 8%; P = .005) and during the first 50 ms (78% ± 27% vs. 60% ± 23%; P = .03) of pacing, suggesting a quicker wavefront propagation throughout the left ventricle. CONCLUSION: In this acute study, MPP in CRT improved both endocardial and surface electrical parameters and hemodynamics in comparison with BIV.

Paclitaxel-eluting stents for the treatment of complex coronary lesions: immediate and 12-month results.

OBJECTIVE: One of the drug-eluting stents that have been introduced into clinical practice is the paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES). Several randomised, controlled clinical trials have already been conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this stent, but data regarding clinical practice are still lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PESs in a 'real-world' population. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy-three patients with a high cardiovascular risk profile and complex coronary lesions were treated with PESs. Each patient was categorised using the following parameters: cardiovascular risk factors, clinical history, clinical presentation, angiographic pattern, and procedural characteristics. Primary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (cardiovascular death, coronary artery bypass grafting, myocardial infarction, stroke, target vessel revascularisation, target lesion revascularisation, and remote revascularisation). RESULTS: A low rate of intraprocedural and periprocedural complications was observed. During the clinical follow-up period (mean 10.5 +/- 4.2 months), 78% of patients were event-free. Twenty-six patients (9.8%) underwent target vessel revascularisation, but only 11 of them (4.2%) had target lesion revascularisation. Seven patients (2.7%) had myocardial infarction, and cardiac death occurred in two patients (0.76%). Only one case (0.37%) of subacute stent thrombosis and one case of late stent thrombosis were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that the use of PESs is safe and effective also in patients with a high cardiovascular risk profile and complex coronary lesions.