1093
The physiological underpinning for cardiac resynchroni-
zation therapy (CRT) began with Carl Wiggers in 1925.
He showed that when contraction of the heart was induced by
direct cardiac electric stimulation, the early phase of contrac-
tion of the heart was slowed and myocardial tension developed
more gradually.1
Wiggers explained these findings by differ-
ences in the order of excitation of the ventricle. Subsequent
studies by a number of investigators highlighted the fact that
a left bundle-branch block conduction pattern was associated
with dyssynchronous contraction that exacerbated left ven-
tricular systolic dysfunction. Few people appreciate the fact
that Dr Morton Mower, who was involved in the development
of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator,2,3
also developed
the patent for cardiac resynchronization therapy in 19904
that
was assigned to CPI/Guidant and subsequently licensed to
Medtronic.
In 1994, Cazeau et al5
reported 1 patient with widened QRS
and advanced heart failure who achieved dramatic improve-
ment with biventricular pacing. Various short-term animal and
clinical hemodynamic studies showed significant improve-
ment in cardiac function when both right and left ventricles of
a diseased heart with conduction disturbance were preexcited
(biventricular pacing),6
and similar findings were observed
recently with univentricular left ventricular stimulation in
the compromised heart with conduction block.7
Central to
all these studies was that dyssynchronous contraction associ-
ated with disturbed left ventricular conduction improved with
direct left ventricular pacing.
A series of large randomized trials, including
COMPANION,8
CARE-HF,9
MADIT-CRT,10
and RAFT,11
have documented the safety and efficacy of biventricular car-
diac reynchronization pacing in patients with various degrees
of severity of heart failure. All the studies involved patients
with wide QRS complexes, with the best results observed in
those with left bundle-branch block. Cardiac guideline recom-
mendations followed in 2008,12
with a recent update in 201213
emphasizing the importance of wide QRS and left ventricular
conduction disturbance as the best substrate for CRT efficacy.
The article by Thibault et al14
in Circulation involves a
small randomized trial of CRT in patients with heart failure
and narrow QRS (<120 ms) using exercise duration at 1 year
as the primary end point. The Thibault trial was designed in
2002 and initiated in 2003, and it appears to be based on an
observational study reported in 2003 by Achilli et al.15
The
Achilli study enrolled patients with refractory heart failure
(HF) and incomplete left bundle-branch block (narrow QRS)
together with echocardiographic evidence of interventricular
and intraventricular asynchrony. There were 38 patients with
QRS >120 ms and 14 patients had a narrow QRS <120 ms.
The CRT benefit was similar in patients with wide or narrow
QRS. It should be emphasized that the authors put the word
narrow in quotes (“narrow”) in the title and throughout the
article when referring to QRS <120 ms because many of the
patients had QRS durations <100 ms. The authors concluded
that “cardiac resynchronization therapy may be helpful in
patients with echocardiographic evidence of interventricular
and intraventricular asynchrony and incomplete left bundle-
branch block”.15
It is surprising that Thibault et al.14
initiated their study
based on limited findings in the literature, and their study
did not include echocardiographic evidence of dyssynchrony.
The average QRS duration was 104+9 ms, with many of the
enrolled patients with QRS <100 ms. There were 12 enrolling
centers, and the study ran for 8 years from 2003 to 2011 with
a total enrollment of only 85 patients in the study. That means
that, on average, each center enrolled <1 patient per center
per year. It is surprising that the Data and Safety Monitoring
Board waited 8 years to terminate the study because of futility
and safety concerns.
After Thibault et al initiated their study but before
publication in Circulation, there were several reports of
variable CRT efficiacy in heart failure patients with narrow
QRS complexes. In a small observational study by Bleeker et
al16
involving 66 studied patients with low ejection fraction
and left ventricular dyssynchrony on tissue doppler imagaing,
the 33 patients with QRS <120 ms had left ventricular reverse
remodeling with CRT comparable with the 33 patients with
QRS complex >120 ms. A larger randomized trial by Beshai
et al17
involved 172 patients with the primary end point an
increase in peak oxygen consumption of at least 1.0 mL per
kilogram of body weight per minute during cardiopulmonary
exercise testing at 6 months after randomization. The CRT-
treated patients did not improve peak oxygen consumption
when compared with the nontreated control group. The results
of this randomized study were not very encouraging that CRT
would be beneficial in patients with narrow QRS complexes.
What have we learned from the large MADIT-CRT trial
regarding CRT efficacy and QRS duration? CRT was sig-
nificantly more effective when the QRS duration was >150
ms than in the 130 to 149 ms range,10
and female patients
(Circulation. 2013;127:1093-1094.)
© 2013 American Heart Association, Inc.
Circulation is available at http://circ.ahajournals.org
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.001363
The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the
editors or of the American Heart Association.
From the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY.
Correspondence to Arthur J. Moss, MD, Professor of Medicine
(Cardiology), Heart Research Follow-Up Program, University of
Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, CU 420653, Rochester,
NY 14642-0653. E-mail heartajm@heart.rochester.edu
Narrow QRS Is Not the Right Substrate for
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Arthur J. Moss, MD
Editorial
1094  Circulation  March 12, 2013
were the only ones who achieved significant CRT benefit
with QRS of 130 to 149 ms.18
Heart failure patients with left
bundle-branch block conduction obtained excellent benefit
from CRT, and there was no appreciable benefit from CRT
in patients with right bundle-branch block or intraventricular
conduction delay.19
It is quite clear that CRT does not achieve a favorable
result in patients with QRS durations <120 ms. On the other
hand, mechanical left ventricular dyssynchrony, an impor-
tant myocardial substrate for effective CRT, is exacerbated
by abnormal excitation of the left ventricle with a wide QRS
duration, especially when a left bundle branch conduction
disturbance is present. Although many factors influence the
cardiac responsiveness to CRT (lead position, type of cardio-
myopathy [ischemic versus nonischemic], extent and severity
of the myocardial damage, and sex), wide QRS complex and
left bundle-branch block are excellent electric biomarkers for
identification of heart failure patients who are likely to benefit
from resynchronization therapy.
Disclosures
Dr Moss reports a research grant from Boston Scientific to the
University of Rochester, of which he is a principal investigator.
References
	 1.	 Wiggers C. The muscular reactions of the mammalian ventricles to artifi-
cial surface stimulation. Am J Physiol 1925;73:346–378.
	2.	Mirowski M, Mower MM, Langer A, Heilman MS, Schreibman J. A
chronically implanted system for automatic defibrillation in active con-
scious dogs: experimental model for treatment of sudden death from ven-
tricular fibrillation. Circulation. 1978;58:90–94.
	3.	 Mirowski M, Reid PR, Mower MM, Watkins L, Gott VL, Schauble JF,
Langer A, Heilman MS, Kolenik SA, Fischell RE, Weisfeldt ML. Termi-
nation of malignant ventricular arrhythmias with an implanted automatic
defibrillator in human beings. N Engl J Med. 1980;303:322–324.
	4.	 Mower MM. Method and apparatus for treating hemodynamic dysfunc-
tion. Patent issued May 29,1990.
	 5.	 Cazeau S, Ritter P, Bakdach S, LazarusA, Limousin M, Henao L, Mundler
O, Daubert JC, Mugica J. Four chamber pacing in dilated cardiomyopathy.
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1994;17(11 Pt 2):1974–1979.
	6.	 Kass DA, Chen CH, Curry C, Talbot M, Berger R, Fetics B, Nevo E.
Improved left ventricular mechanics from acute VDD pacing in patients
with dilated cardiomyopathy and ventricular conduction delay. Circula-
tion. 1999;99:1567–1573.
	7.	 Thibault B, Ducharme A, Harel F, White M, O’Meara E, Guertin MC,
Lavoie J, Frasure-Smith N, Dubuc M, Guerra P, Macle L, Rivard L, Roy
D, Talajic M, Khairy P. Left ventricular versus simultaneous biventricular
pacing in patients with heart failure and a QRS complex >/=120 millisec-
onds. Circulation. 2011;124:2874–2881.
	8.	Bristow MR, Saxon LA, Boehmer J, Krueger S, Kass DA, De Marco
T, Carson P, DiCarlo L, DeMets D, White BG, DeVries DW, Feldman
AM; Comparison of Medical Therapy, Pacing, and Defibrillation in Heart
Failure (COMPANION) Investigators. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy
with or without an implantable defibrillator in advanced chronic heart fail-
ure. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:2140–2150.
	 9.	 Cleland JG, Daubert JC, Erdmann E, Freemantle N, Gras D, Kappenberger
L, Tavazzi L; Cardiac Resynchronization-Heart Failure (CARE-HF)
Study Investigators. The effect of cardiac resynchronization on morbidity
and mortality in heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2005;352:1539–1549.
	10.	 Moss AJ, Hall WJ, Cannom DS, Klein H, Brown MW, Daubert JP, Estes
NA III, Foster E, Greenberg H, Higgins SL, Pfeffer MA, Solomon SD,
Wilber D, Zareba W; MADIT-CRT Trial Investigators. Cardiac-resynchro-
nization therapy for the prevention of heart-failure events. N Engl J Med.
2009;361:1329–1338.
	11.	Tang AS, Wells GA, Talajic M, Arnold MO, Sheldon R, Connolly S,
Hohnloser SH, Nichol G, Birnie DH, Sapp JL, Yee R, Healey JS, Rouleau
JL; Resynchronization-Defibrillation for Ambulatory Heart Failure Trial
Investigators. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy for mild-to-moderate
heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2010;363:2385–2395.
	12.	 Epstein AE, DiMarco JP, Ellenbogen KA, Estes NA, III, Freedman RA,
Gettes LS, Gillinov AM, Gregoratos G, Hammill SC, Hayes DL, Hlatky
MA, Newby LK, Page RL, Schoenfeld MH, Silka MJ, Stevenson LW,
Sweeney MO, Smith SC, Jr., Jacobs AK, Adams CD, Anderson JL, Buller
CE, Creager MA, Ettinger SM, Faxon DP, Halperin JL, Hiratzka LF, Hunt
SA, Krumholz HM, Kushner FG, Lytle BW, Nishimura RA, Ornato JP,
Riegel B, Tarkington LG, Yancy CW. ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 guidelines
for device-based therapy of cardiac rhythm abnormalities: A report of
the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task
Force on Practice Guidelines (writing committee to revise the ACC/AHA/
NASPE 2002 guideline update for implantation of cardiac pacemakers and
antiarrhythmia devices): Developed in collaboration with the american
association for thoracic surgery and society of thoracic surgeons. Circula-
tion. 2008;117:e350–408.
	13.	 Epstein AE, Dimarco JP, Ellenbogen KA, Estes NA, III, Freedman RA,
Gettes LS, Gillinov AM, Gregoratos G, Hammill SC, Hayes DL, Hlatky
MA, Newby LK, Page RL, Schoenfeld MH, Silka MJ, Stevenson LW,
Sweeney MO. 2012 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update incorporated into
the ACCF/AHA/HRS 2008 guidelines for device-based therapy of cardiac
rhythm abnormalities: a report of the American College of Cardiology
Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guide-
lines and the Heart Rhythm Society. Circulation. 2013 Jan 22;127:e283–
352. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0b013e318276ce9b. Epub 2012 Dec 19.
	14.	 Thibault B, Harel F, Ducharme A, White M, Ellenbogen K, Frasure-Smith
N, Roy D. Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with heart failure
and a QRS complex <120 milliseconds: the Evaluation of Resynchroni-
zation Therapy for Heart Failure (LESSER-EARTH) trial. Circulation.
2013;127:873–881.
	15.	 Achilli A, Sassara M, Ficili S, Pontillo D, Achilli P, Alessi C, De Spirito
S, Guerra R, Patruno N, Serra F. Long-term effectiveness of cardiac resyn-
chronization therapy in patients with refractory heart failure and “narrow”
QRS. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;42:2117–2124.
	16.	Bleeker GB, Holman ER, Steendijk P, Boersma E, van der Wall EE,
Schalij MJ, Bax JJ. Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with a
narrow QRS complex. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:2243–2250.
	17.	 Beshai JF, Grimm RA, Nagueh SF, Baker JH II, Beau SL, Greenberg SM,
Pires LA, Tchou PJ; RethinQ Study Investigators. Cardiac-resynchroniza-
tion therapy in heart failure with narrow QRS complexes. N Engl J Med.
2007;357:2461–2471.
	18.	 Arshad A, Moss AJ, Foster E, Padeletti L, Barsheshet A, Goldenberg I,
Greenberg H, Hall WJ, McNitt S, Zareba W, Solomon S, Steinberg JS;
MADIT-CRT Executive Committee. Cardiac resynchronization therapy
is more effective in women than in men: the MADIT-CRT (Multicenter
Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial with Cardiac Resynchroniza-
tion Therapy) trial. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57:813–820.
	19.	Zareba W, Klein H, Cygankiewicz I, Hall WJ, McNitt S, Brown M,
Cannom D, Daubert JP, Eldar M, Gold MR, Goldberger JJ, Goldenberg
I, Lichstein E, Pitschner H, Rashtian M, Solomon S, Viskin S, Wang P,
Moss AJ; MADIT-CRT Investigators. Effectiveness of Cardiac Resyn-
chronization Therapy by QRS Morphology in the Multicenter Automatic
Defibrillator Implantation Trial-Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
(MADIT-CRT). Circulation. 2011;123:1061–1072.
Key Words: Editorials ■ cardiac resynchronization therapy

More Related Content

PDF
Scientific news march 2015 samir rafla
PDF
Inside the issues
PPTX
Angioplasty outcomes in chronic kidney disease - a literature review
PPTX
Prevention of contrast nephropathy,CIN.
PDF
Whom to refer for mitral valve repair and whom not
PPTX
Stitch trial
PPT
STICH (Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure)
PPTX
Cv lprit substudy
Scientific news march 2015 samir rafla
Inside the issues
Angioplasty outcomes in chronic kidney disease - a literature review
Prevention of contrast nephropathy,CIN.
Whom to refer for mitral valve repair and whom not
Stitch trial
STICH (Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure)
Cv lprit substudy

What's hot (20)

PDF
Identifying super responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy
PDF
Extract from 2010 ECC Guidelines: Adenosine
PPTX
PRAMI clinical trial (for STEMI intervention)
PDF
Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Redo-Transplants- Is It More or Less (or) t...
PPTX
Crt seminar
PDF
Daily Dose Equities - Intracoronary Bone Marrow
PPTX
CABG in ischemic cardiomyopathy
PDF
Medtronic international the future of cardiac resynchronisation therapy
PDF
Daily Dose Equities - Effect of Transendocardial Delivery
PPTX
Critical appraisal of Stitch Trial by Dr. Akshay Mehta
PDF
Prospective, randomized comparison of two biphasic
PPT
Ppci culprit vs mv acad card 2013 mumbai
PPTX
Reducing Perioperative Cardiac Risk: Do Beta blockers Help?
PDF
Thermal Imaging for the Diagnosis of Early Vascular Dysfunctions: A Case Report
PDF
RCCP Y TEP TROMBOLISIS EN URGENCIAS INTRA PARO
PPTX
Cardiovascular complication of cancer chemotherapy
PPTX
QRS FRAGMENTATION: ADULT TETROLOGY OF FALLOT
PDF
PDF
Drug-Eluting Stents for Multivessel PCI
Identifying super responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy
Extract from 2010 ECC Guidelines: Adenosine
PRAMI clinical trial (for STEMI intervention)
Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Redo-Transplants- Is It More or Less (or) t...
Crt seminar
Daily Dose Equities - Intracoronary Bone Marrow
CABG in ischemic cardiomyopathy
Medtronic international the future of cardiac resynchronisation therapy
Daily Dose Equities - Effect of Transendocardial Delivery
Critical appraisal of Stitch Trial by Dr. Akshay Mehta
Prospective, randomized comparison of two biphasic
Ppci culprit vs mv acad card 2013 mumbai
Reducing Perioperative Cardiac Risk: Do Beta blockers Help?
Thermal Imaging for the Diagnosis of Early Vascular Dysfunctions: A Case Report
RCCP Y TEP TROMBOLISIS EN URGENCIAS INTRA PARO
Cardiovascular complication of cancer chemotherapy
QRS FRAGMENTATION: ADULT TETROLOGY OF FALLOT
Drug-Eluting Stents for Multivessel PCI
Ad

Similar to Terapia de resincronizacion cardiaca (20)

PDF
RECENT ADVANCES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF REFRACTORY HEART FAILURE
PDF
CCTGA dobutamine
PDF
JET surgical substrates
PPT
Arch final harkit2015 __
PDF
Bon Secours Heart Valve Center
PPT
2016: National Acute Stroke Protocol Standard of Care and Emerging Technology...
PPTX
Remote Ischemic Conditioning - Dr. Robert Kloner
PDF
Abstract world congress
PDF
Rev katz valve 2014 h&vi annual conf
DOCX
Mangement of chronic heart failure
DOCX
Mangement of chronic heart failure 93432-rephrased
PDF
CLEVER Final Manuscript_JACC_17Mar2015
PDF
1-s2.0-S0002914913019292-main
PPT
Myocarditis
PPT
Myocarditis
PPT
Myocarditis
PDF
ARVC and flecainide case report[EI] Jim.docx.pdf
PDF
FragmentedQRSComplexisassociatedwiththeLeftVentricular Remodeling in Patients...
PDF
Fragmented QRS Complex is associated with the Left Ventricular Remodeling in ...
RECENT ADVANCES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF REFRACTORY HEART FAILURE
CCTGA dobutamine
JET surgical substrates
Arch final harkit2015 __
Bon Secours Heart Valve Center
2016: National Acute Stroke Protocol Standard of Care and Emerging Technology...
Remote Ischemic Conditioning - Dr. Robert Kloner
Abstract world congress
Rev katz valve 2014 h&vi annual conf
Mangement of chronic heart failure
Mangement of chronic heart failure 93432-rephrased
CLEVER Final Manuscript_JACC_17Mar2015
1-s2.0-S0002914913019292-main
Myocarditis
Myocarditis
Myocarditis
ARVC and flecainide case report[EI] Jim.docx.pdf
FragmentedQRSComplexisassociatedwiththeLeftVentricular Remodeling in Patients...
Fragmented QRS Complex is associated with the Left Ventricular Remodeling in ...
Ad

More from Residentes1hun (20)

PPTX
Artropatia de jaccoud
PDF
Resolucion 5521 de 27 dic de 2013 actualizacion del pos (1)
PPTX
Esclerodermia localizada
PDF
Evaluacion de un dolor de cadera
PPTX
miopatia y debilidad, criterios de les,esclerosis sistemica y E.mixta del tej...
PPTX
Lupus neuropsiquiatria
PPTX
Presentacion clinico radiopatologia
PDF
Comorbilidad en geriatria
PPT
Valvulopatias mitral y tricuspidea
PPTX
Complicaciones de iam
PPT
Valoracion preanestesica en paciente cardiaco en cx no fci
PPTX
Guias hta 2013 europeas
PDF
Copia de aminoglicosidos en uci
PDF
Evidencia en el tratamiento 2013
PDF
Aspectos neuroqx de infeccion del snc 2012
PDF
Empiema subdural en meningitis bacteriana aguda 2012
PDF
Nimodipina 2006
PDF
Pie diabetico3 clasificacion
PDF
Pedis 2004
PDF
Pie diabetico guia 2012
Artropatia de jaccoud
Resolucion 5521 de 27 dic de 2013 actualizacion del pos (1)
Esclerodermia localizada
Evaluacion de un dolor de cadera
miopatia y debilidad, criterios de les,esclerosis sistemica y E.mixta del tej...
Lupus neuropsiquiatria
Presentacion clinico radiopatologia
Comorbilidad en geriatria
Valvulopatias mitral y tricuspidea
Complicaciones de iam
Valoracion preanestesica en paciente cardiaco en cx no fci
Guias hta 2013 europeas
Copia de aminoglicosidos en uci
Evidencia en el tratamiento 2013
Aspectos neuroqx de infeccion del snc 2012
Empiema subdural en meningitis bacteriana aguda 2012
Nimodipina 2006
Pie diabetico3 clasificacion
Pedis 2004
Pie diabetico guia 2012

Terapia de resincronizacion cardiaca

  • 1. 1093 The physiological underpinning for cardiac resynchroni- zation therapy (CRT) began with Carl Wiggers in 1925. He showed that when contraction of the heart was induced by direct cardiac electric stimulation, the early phase of contrac- tion of the heart was slowed and myocardial tension developed more gradually.1 Wiggers explained these findings by differ- ences in the order of excitation of the ventricle. Subsequent studies by a number of investigators highlighted the fact that a left bundle-branch block conduction pattern was associated with dyssynchronous contraction that exacerbated left ven- tricular systolic dysfunction. Few people appreciate the fact that Dr Morton Mower, who was involved in the development of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator,2,3 also developed the patent for cardiac resynchronization therapy in 19904 that was assigned to CPI/Guidant and subsequently licensed to Medtronic. In 1994, Cazeau et al5 reported 1 patient with widened QRS and advanced heart failure who achieved dramatic improve- ment with biventricular pacing. Various short-term animal and clinical hemodynamic studies showed significant improve- ment in cardiac function when both right and left ventricles of a diseased heart with conduction disturbance were preexcited (biventricular pacing),6 and similar findings were observed recently with univentricular left ventricular stimulation in the compromised heart with conduction block.7 Central to all these studies was that dyssynchronous contraction associ- ated with disturbed left ventricular conduction improved with direct left ventricular pacing. A series of large randomized trials, including COMPANION,8 CARE-HF,9 MADIT-CRT,10 and RAFT,11 have documented the safety and efficacy of biventricular car- diac reynchronization pacing in patients with various degrees of severity of heart failure. All the studies involved patients with wide QRS complexes, with the best results observed in those with left bundle-branch block. Cardiac guideline recom- mendations followed in 2008,12 with a recent update in 201213 emphasizing the importance of wide QRS and left ventricular conduction disturbance as the best substrate for CRT efficacy. The article by Thibault et al14 in Circulation involves a small randomized trial of CRT in patients with heart failure and narrow QRS (<120 ms) using exercise duration at 1 year as the primary end point. The Thibault trial was designed in 2002 and initiated in 2003, and it appears to be based on an observational study reported in 2003 by Achilli et al.15 The Achilli study enrolled patients with refractory heart failure (HF) and incomplete left bundle-branch block (narrow QRS) together with echocardiographic evidence of interventricular and intraventricular asynchrony. There were 38 patients with QRS >120 ms and 14 patients had a narrow QRS <120 ms. The CRT benefit was similar in patients with wide or narrow QRS. It should be emphasized that the authors put the word narrow in quotes (“narrow”) in the title and throughout the article when referring to QRS <120 ms because many of the patients had QRS durations <100 ms. The authors concluded that “cardiac resynchronization therapy may be helpful in patients with echocardiographic evidence of interventricular and intraventricular asynchrony and incomplete left bundle- branch block”.15 It is surprising that Thibault et al.14 initiated their study based on limited findings in the literature, and their study did not include echocardiographic evidence of dyssynchrony. The average QRS duration was 104+9 ms, with many of the enrolled patients with QRS <100 ms. There were 12 enrolling centers, and the study ran for 8 years from 2003 to 2011 with a total enrollment of only 85 patients in the study. That means that, on average, each center enrolled <1 patient per center per year. It is surprising that the Data and Safety Monitoring Board waited 8 years to terminate the study because of futility and safety concerns. After Thibault et al initiated their study but before publication in Circulation, there were several reports of variable CRT efficiacy in heart failure patients with narrow QRS complexes. In a small observational study by Bleeker et al16 involving 66 studied patients with low ejection fraction and left ventricular dyssynchrony on tissue doppler imagaing, the 33 patients with QRS <120 ms had left ventricular reverse remodeling with CRT comparable with the 33 patients with QRS complex >120 ms. A larger randomized trial by Beshai et al17 involved 172 patients with the primary end point an increase in peak oxygen consumption of at least 1.0 mL per kilogram of body weight per minute during cardiopulmonary exercise testing at 6 months after randomization. The CRT- treated patients did not improve peak oxygen consumption when compared with the nontreated control group. The results of this randomized study were not very encouraging that CRT would be beneficial in patients with narrow QRS complexes. What have we learned from the large MADIT-CRT trial regarding CRT efficacy and QRS duration? CRT was sig- nificantly more effective when the QRS duration was >150 ms than in the 130 to 149 ms range,10 and female patients (Circulation. 2013;127:1093-1094.) © 2013 American Heart Association, Inc. Circulation is available at http://circ.ahajournals.org DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.001363 The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the editors or of the American Heart Association. From the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY. Correspondence to Arthur J. Moss, MD, Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), Heart Research Follow-Up Program, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, CU 420653, Rochester, NY 14642-0653. E-mail [email protected] Narrow QRS Is Not the Right Substrate for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Arthur J. Moss, MD Editorial
  • 2. 1094  Circulation  March 12, 2013 were the only ones who achieved significant CRT benefit with QRS of 130 to 149 ms.18 Heart failure patients with left bundle-branch block conduction obtained excellent benefit from CRT, and there was no appreciable benefit from CRT in patients with right bundle-branch block or intraventricular conduction delay.19 It is quite clear that CRT does not achieve a favorable result in patients with QRS durations <120 ms. On the other hand, mechanical left ventricular dyssynchrony, an impor- tant myocardial substrate for effective CRT, is exacerbated by abnormal excitation of the left ventricle with a wide QRS duration, especially when a left bundle branch conduction disturbance is present. Although many factors influence the cardiac responsiveness to CRT (lead position, type of cardio- myopathy [ischemic versus nonischemic], extent and severity of the myocardial damage, and sex), wide QRS complex and left bundle-branch block are excellent electric biomarkers for identification of heart failure patients who are likely to benefit from resynchronization therapy. Disclosures Dr Moss reports a research grant from Boston Scientific to the University of Rochester, of which he is a principal investigator. References 1. Wiggers C. The muscular reactions of the mammalian ventricles to artifi- cial surface stimulation. Am J Physiol 1925;73:346–378. 2. Mirowski M, Mower MM, Langer A, Heilman MS, Schreibman J. A chronically implanted system for automatic defibrillation in active con- scious dogs: experimental model for treatment of sudden death from ven- tricular fibrillation. Circulation. 1978;58:90–94. 3. Mirowski M, Reid PR, Mower MM, Watkins L, Gott VL, Schauble JF, Langer A, Heilman MS, Kolenik SA, Fischell RE, Weisfeldt ML. Termi- nation of malignant ventricular arrhythmias with an implanted automatic defibrillator in human beings. N Engl J Med. 1980;303:322–324. 4. Mower MM. Method and apparatus for treating hemodynamic dysfunc- tion. Patent issued May 29,1990. 5. Cazeau S, Ritter P, Bakdach S, LazarusA, Limousin M, Henao L, Mundler O, Daubert JC, Mugica J. Four chamber pacing in dilated cardiomyopathy. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1994;17(11 Pt 2):1974–1979. 6. Kass DA, Chen CH, Curry C, Talbot M, Berger R, Fetics B, Nevo E. Improved left ventricular mechanics from acute VDD pacing in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and ventricular conduction delay. Circula- tion. 1999;99:1567–1573. 7. Thibault B, Ducharme A, Harel F, White M, O’Meara E, Guertin MC, Lavoie J, Frasure-Smith N, Dubuc M, Guerra P, Macle L, Rivard L, Roy D, Talajic M, Khairy P. Left ventricular versus simultaneous biventricular pacing in patients with heart failure and a QRS complex >/=120 millisec- onds. Circulation. 2011;124:2874–2881. 8. Bristow MR, Saxon LA, Boehmer J, Krueger S, Kass DA, De Marco T, Carson P, DiCarlo L, DeMets D, White BG, DeVries DW, Feldman AM; Comparison of Medical Therapy, Pacing, and Defibrillation in Heart Failure (COMPANION) Investigators. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy with or without an implantable defibrillator in advanced chronic heart fail- ure. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:2140–2150. 9. Cleland JG, Daubert JC, Erdmann E, Freemantle N, Gras D, Kappenberger L, Tavazzi L; Cardiac Resynchronization-Heart Failure (CARE-HF) Study Investigators. The effect of cardiac resynchronization on morbidity and mortality in heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2005;352:1539–1549. 10. Moss AJ, Hall WJ, Cannom DS, Klein H, Brown MW, Daubert JP, Estes NA III, Foster E, Greenberg H, Higgins SL, Pfeffer MA, Solomon SD, Wilber D, Zareba W; MADIT-CRT Trial Investigators. Cardiac-resynchro- nization therapy for the prevention of heart-failure events. N Engl J Med. 2009;361:1329–1338. 11. Tang AS, Wells GA, Talajic M, Arnold MO, Sheldon R, Connolly S, Hohnloser SH, Nichol G, Birnie DH, Sapp JL, Yee R, Healey JS, Rouleau JL; Resynchronization-Defibrillation for Ambulatory Heart Failure Trial Investigators. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy for mild-to-moderate heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2010;363:2385–2395. 12. Epstein AE, DiMarco JP, Ellenbogen KA, Estes NA, III, Freedman RA, Gettes LS, Gillinov AM, Gregoratos G, Hammill SC, Hayes DL, Hlatky MA, Newby LK, Page RL, Schoenfeld MH, Silka MJ, Stevenson LW, Sweeney MO, Smith SC, Jr., Jacobs AK, Adams CD, Anderson JL, Buller CE, Creager MA, Ettinger SM, Faxon DP, Halperin JL, Hiratzka LF, Hunt SA, Krumholz HM, Kushner FG, Lytle BW, Nishimura RA, Ornato JP, Riegel B, Tarkington LG, Yancy CW. ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 guidelines for device-based therapy of cardiac rhythm abnormalities: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (writing committee to revise the ACC/AHA/ NASPE 2002 guideline update for implantation of cardiac pacemakers and antiarrhythmia devices): Developed in collaboration with the american association for thoracic surgery and society of thoracic surgeons. Circula- tion. 2008;117:e350–408. 13. Epstein AE, Dimarco JP, Ellenbogen KA, Estes NA, III, Freedman RA, Gettes LS, Gillinov AM, Gregoratos G, Hammill SC, Hayes DL, Hlatky MA, Newby LK, Page RL, Schoenfeld MH, Silka MJ, Stevenson LW, Sweeney MO. 2012 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update incorporated into the ACCF/AHA/HRS 2008 guidelines for device-based therapy of cardiac rhythm abnormalities: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guide- lines and the Heart Rhythm Society. Circulation. 2013 Jan 22;127:e283– 352. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0b013e318276ce9b. Epub 2012 Dec 19. 14. Thibault B, Harel F, Ducharme A, White M, Ellenbogen K, Frasure-Smith N, Roy D. Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with heart failure and a QRS complex <120 milliseconds: the Evaluation of Resynchroni- zation Therapy for Heart Failure (LESSER-EARTH) trial. Circulation. 2013;127:873–881. 15. Achilli A, Sassara M, Ficili S, Pontillo D, Achilli P, Alessi C, De Spirito S, Guerra R, Patruno N, Serra F. Long-term effectiveness of cardiac resyn- chronization therapy in patients with refractory heart failure and “narrow” QRS. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;42:2117–2124. 16. Bleeker GB, Holman ER, Steendijk P, Boersma E, van der Wall EE, Schalij MJ, Bax JJ. Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with a narrow QRS complex. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:2243–2250. 17. Beshai JF, Grimm RA, Nagueh SF, Baker JH II, Beau SL, Greenberg SM, Pires LA, Tchou PJ; RethinQ Study Investigators. Cardiac-resynchroniza- tion therapy in heart failure with narrow QRS complexes. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:2461–2471. 18. Arshad A, Moss AJ, Foster E, Padeletti L, Barsheshet A, Goldenberg I, Greenberg H, Hall WJ, McNitt S, Zareba W, Solomon S, Steinberg JS; MADIT-CRT Executive Committee. Cardiac resynchronization therapy is more effective in women than in men: the MADIT-CRT (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial with Cardiac Resynchroniza- tion Therapy) trial. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57:813–820. 19. Zareba W, Klein H, Cygankiewicz I, Hall WJ, McNitt S, Brown M, Cannom D, Daubert JP, Eldar M, Gold MR, Goldberger JJ, Goldenberg I, Lichstein E, Pitschner H, Rashtian M, Solomon S, Viskin S, Wang P, Moss AJ; MADIT-CRT Investigators. Effectiveness of Cardiac Resyn- chronization Therapy by QRS Morphology in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial-Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (MADIT-CRT). Circulation. 2011;123:1061–1072. Key Words: Editorials ■ cardiac resynchronization therapy