Estimate and reporting of longevity for cardiac implantable electronic devices: a proposal for standardized criteria

Federica Censi1, Giovanni Calcagnini1, Eugenio Mattei1

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Insights

Standardized criteria for cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) estimate longevity from 5-17.2 years. This provides fair comparison, unlike variable manufacturer criteria for pacemakers (PMs) and defibrillators (ICDs).

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Health Technology Assessment

Background:

  • Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are crucial for various patient groups, with device longevity impacting replacement frequency.
  • Current manufacturer criteria for CIED longevity (pacemakers, ICDs, CRT devices) lack standardization, hindering device comparison and evaluation.
  • The mismatch between CIED useful life and patient survival necessitates accurate longevity estimations for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish standardized criteria for estimating CIED longevity in typical clinical settings.
  • To enable fair comparison and effective evaluation of different CIEDs, including pacemakers, ICDs, and CRT devices.
  • To support health technology assessment with reliable device longevity data.

Main Methods:

  • Development of standardized criteria based on typical clinical settings.
  • Application of these criteria to estimate longevity for various CIEDs: single/dual chamber ICDs, CRT-Ds, single/dual chamber PMs, and CRT-Ps.
  • Comparison of longevity estimates derived from standardized criteria versus manufacturer-specific criteria.

Main Results:

  • The proposed standardized parameters yield estimated CIED longevity values ranging from 5 to 17.2 years.
  • Manufacturer-specific criteria often result in higher maximum longevity values compared to the standardized criteria for certain devices (e.g., CRT-D, CRT-P).

Conclusions:

  • Standardized criteria offer a more consistent and comparable method for assessing CIED longevity.
  • Manufacturer-defined longevity can be overestimated compared to standardized clinical assessments, impacting device evaluation.
  • The developed criteria are essential for accurate health technology assessment and informed clinical decision-making regarding CIEDs.
Abstract