Left Bundle Branch Pacing for Heart Failure and Left Bundle Branch Block Patients With Mildly Reduced and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

BACKGROUND

Left bundle branch block (LBBB) may induce or aggravate heart failure (HF). Few data are available on patients with HF and LBBB with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF; left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] 40%-50%) and those with preserved EF (HFpEF. LVEF ≥ 50%). We aimed to assess the long-term outcomes of left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) on cardiac function and remodelling in patients with LBBB and symptomatic HFmrEF and HFpEF.

METHODS

Nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients with HFmrEF and HFpEF (LVEF from 40% to 60% as defined with the use of echocardiography) with LBBB who successfully underwent LBBP (n = 50) were prospectively included from 4 centres. Patient characteristics and echocardiographic and lead parameters were recorded at implantation and during follow-ups of 1, 3, 6, and 12 months.

RESULTS

All patients completed 1-year follow up. The LVEF was significantly improved from 46.5 ± 5.2% at baseline to 60.0 ± 6.1% (n = 50; P < 0.001) after 1-year follow up. Higher ΔLVEF and super-response rate were observed in the HFmrEF group (n = 30) than in the HFpEF group (n = 20).

CONCLUSIONS

LBBP improved symptoms and reversed remodelling in patients with LBBB and symptomatic HF at 1-year follow-up. Improvement occurred even in HFpEF patients, and the resynchronisation effect was better in HFmrEF group.