Rocking makes the difference

Maasset al.1 introduced the CAVIAR response score as a tool for improving patient selection for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). It is interesting to read, that apical rocking, a simple mechanical dyssynchrony marker, was an independent predictor of volumetric response to CRT and was proposed as one of the four scoring parameters. We would like to congratulate the authors to this study which confirms to a great extend our 1000-patient, multi-centre experience reported in the PREDICT-CRT study which investigated the relationship of apical rocking and septal flash to clinical outcomes following CRT.2 Both apical rocking and septal flash were associated with volumetric response and survival and also had a significant incremental value over clinical variables for the prediction of CRT response.2 Of note, almost identical association of apical rocking and response to CRT was simultaneously reported by other, smaller studies3 and it will hopefully be confirmed by the ongoing EuroCRT study.4 The study by Maaset al. is important as it reflects a reviving enthusiasm for refining guideline-proposed criteria for CRT patient selection and adds to the existing evidence that simple, but robust parameters of left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony may still work.
Source: Europace - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research