UCLA

Objectives

This study sought to characterize ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation outcomes across nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) etiologies and adjust these outcomes by patient-related comorbidities that could explain differences in arrhythmia recurrence rates.

Background

Outcomes of catheter ablation of VT in patients with NICM could be related to etiology of NICM.

Methods

Data from 2,075 patients with structural heart disease referred for catheter ablation of VT from 12 international centers was retrospectively analyzed. Patient characteristics and outcomes were noted for the 6 most common NICM etiologies. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to adjust for potential confounders.

Results

Of 780 NICM patients (57 ± 14 years of age, 18% women, left ventricular ejection fraction 37 ± 13%), underlying prevalence was 66% for dilated idiopathic cardiomyopathy (DICM), 13% for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), 6% for valvular cardiomyopathy, 6% for myocarditis, 4% for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and 3% for sarcoidosis. One-year freedom from VT was 69%, and freedom from VT, heart transplantation, and death was 62%. On unadjusted competing risk analysis, VT ablation in ARVC demonstrated superior VT-free survival (82%) versus DICM (p ≤ 0.01). Valvular cardiomyopathy had the poorest unadjusted VT-free survival, at 47% (p < 0.01). After adjusting for comorbidities, including age, heart failure severity, ejection fraction, prior ablation, and antiarrhythmic medication use, myocarditis, ARVC, and DICM demonstrated similar outcomes, whereas hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular cardiomyopathy, and sarcoidosis had the highest risk of VT recurrence.

Conclusions

Catheter ablation of VT in NICM is effective. Etiology of NICM is a significant predictor of outcomes, with ARVC, myocarditis, and DICM having similar but superior outcomes to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular cardiomyopathy, and sarcoidosis, after adjusting for potential covariates.