ONE YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF CONVENTIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS FOR DYSSYNCHRONY IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY
Abstract:
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to be effective in patients with drugrefractory
heart failure and wide QRS complexes. The aim of our study was to analyze the one year
evolution of conventional echocardiographic measurements along with dyssynchrony parameters in
patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy. Serial examination data from 31 patients with CRT
devices were analyzed. There were significant differences (p<0,05) between values of dyssynchrony
parameters measured before and after implantation. Septal to posterior wall motion delay values
(SPWMD) showed significant regression (p < 0.01) at six and twelve months after implantation. Ejection
fraction improved beginning from the first month, mainly by progressive reduction of end-systolic left
ventricular volumes. In patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy, improvement of
echocardiographic dyssynchrony parameters is a process that begins immediately after device
implantation, and continues in the next months, expressing the fact that reverse remodeling takes time
and sometimes needs pacing protocol adjustments.
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