Adverse response to cardiac resynchronisation therapy in patients with septal scar on cardiac MRI preventing a septal right ventricular lead position.

PURPOSE: Myocardial scar is an adverse factor when considering which patients are likely to respond to cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT). We hypothesized that septal scarring on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be associated with a poor outcome from CRT, which may relate to the inability to place the right ventricular (RV) lead in the septum.

METHODS: Fifty patients (ejection fractions, 25 ± 8%; 45 men, 62.8 ± 14 years; 26 dilated cardiomyopathy; and 24 ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM)) receiving CRT underwent delayed enhancement cardiac MRI to assess location and burden of myocardial scar. Acute hemodynamic response (AHR) was evaluated at implant with a pressure wire in the left ventricular (LV) cavity. LV remodelling was determined by reduction in LV end-systolic volume at 6 months.

RESULTS: The presence of ICM with septal scar was associated with a poor acute and chronic response to CRT. This was predominantly due to a worse response in patients with septal scar. Patients without septal scar had a better AHR with a 26.7 ± 28.9% rise in LV dP/dt (max) from baseline vs. -2.8 ± 14.5% for patients with septal scar (P = 0.01) with Biventricular (BIV) pacing. A greater proportion remodelled (56% vs. 20% (P = 0.02)). Furthermore, only 33% of patients with septal scar had an RV septal lead compared with 66% with no septal scar (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS: The presence of septal scar was associated with a poor acute and chronic response to CRT. This may relate to the inability to achieve a RV septal lead placement.