[Resynchronisation therapy in patients with heart failure: our results]

Resynchronisation therapy with biventricular permanent pacing stimulation is one method of treating patients with systolic heart failure, with echocardiograph signs of ventricular asynchrony and a prolonged QRS of longer than 120 milliseconds. This method has been accepted in most medical centres around the world and was instigated in our Pacemaker Centre in December 2001, 3 months after FDA approval for human use.

The aim of the study was to present this new procedure and the results obtained from our own group of patients.

A multi-site, biventricular pacemaker, with a special electrode for left-half heart stimulation was implanted in the coronary sinus of 17 patients who had suffered systolic heart failure (12 male and 5 female, average age 59.9 years). For all of them, the duration of the QRS interval was longer than 120 ms, with left bundle branch morphology, and an ejection fraction below 30%. All the patients were NYHA class II or III. Prior to and after the implantation, a 12-channel ECG and ECHO were carried out, a 6-minute hall walk test was performed, additionally, the total walked distance on a flat surface was measured, the general condition of the patient was evaluated, the number of medications being taken was noted, as was the number of days of hospitalisation.

The average time from diagnosis to implantation was 22 months, and the average post-operative follow-up was 14 months. Two of the patients died 10 and 7 months after the implantation, due to a new myocardial infarction and refractory heart failure. In addition, one patient did not show any improvement after the implantation of the multi-site pacemaker (there were three "non-responder" patients). All the other patients felt much better: decreased NYHA class for I - II class, increased left ventricle ejection fraction, reduced use of diuretics, increased 6-minute hall walk distance and general walk distance on a flat surface, and decreased number of days of hospitalisation.

Resynchronisation heart failure therapy in the majority of patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction and a prolonged QRS interval considerably improves cardiac function, in addition to reducing symptoms and hospital stays.