Clinical Predictors of Occurrence of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias in Patients with Reduced Left Ventricle Ejection Fraction. Results of Single-Center Prospective Study

Aim      To evaluate the diagnostic significance of clinical and demographic parameters for predicting a 2-year probability of ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT) in patients with chronic heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (CHFrLVEF).

Material and methods  This single-center, prospective cohort study included 175 patients with CHFrLVEF who were implanted with a cardioverter defibrillator (CD). The endpoint was a CD-detected episode of VT. Patients were followed up for 2 years with visits at 3, 12, and 24 months after CD implantation.

Results The primary endpoint was observed in 43 (24.4 %) patients at an average of 20.9 months (95 % confidence interval (CI), 20–21.9). The 2-year risk of fatal ventricular arrhythmias increased with detection of unstable VT (one-factor analysis, odds ratio (OR), 4.2; 95 % CI, 1.1–16.5; р=0.041; multifactor analysis, OR, 6.3; 95 % CI, 1.5–26.3; р=0.012) and with ischemic CHFrLVEF origin (one-factor analysis, OR, 2.2; 95 % CI, 1.1–4.5; p=0.021; multifactor analysis, OR, 2.5; 95 % CI, 1.2–5.1; р=0.018). In the presence of any type of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with non-ischemic CHFrLVEF, the probability of VT increased threefold (one-factor analysis, OR, 2.97; 95 % CI, 1.02–8.8; р=0.047; multifactor analysis, OR, 3.5; 95 % CI, 1.1–10.9; р=0.032).

Conclusion      The presence of ischemic heart disease and unstable VT paroxysms can be included in the number of important clinical predictors of VT in patients with CHFrLVEF. In patients with non-ischemic CHF, the presence of AF is associated with a high risk of VT.

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