Cardiac resynchronization in Poland - comparable procedural routines? Insights from CRT Survey II

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Devices
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• The European Heart Rhythm Association and Heart Failure Association initiated CRT Survey II to assess cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device implantation practices across European hospitals.
• The survey aimed to provide insights into the everyday implantation practices of CRT devices within a diverse range of healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comparative analysis of procedural practices in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) between Poland and other European countries.
• To identify and quantify differences in CRT implantation methodologies and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Procedural data from 1241 Polish patients across 37 centers were compared with data from 9847 patients in the European CRT II Survey group.
• Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant differences in implantation success, device types, physician subspecialty, procedure location, duration, lead types, venogram details, and complication rates.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were observed in successful implantation rates (96.1% vs. 97.4%), CRT-D device usage (87% vs. 67.6%), and implanting physician subspecialty (electrophysiologist: 69.2% vs. 79.8%).
• Procedure duration (117.8 ±44 vs. 97.5 ±46.1 min) and peri-procedural complication rates (7.5% vs. 5.3%) also differed significantly between the Polish and European groups.
• Variations were noted in left ventricle lead type, coronary sinus venogram details, and the location of the procedure.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights significant differences in Polish procedural routines for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) compared to other European Society of Cardiology (ESC) member countries.
• Heterogeneity in CRT implantation practices persists across Europe, potentially influenced by distinct patient profiles and healthcare organization in Poland.
• These findings underscore the need for further investigation into factors driving these practice variations.