Do we differ in terms of indications and demographics in cardiac resynchronisation recipients in Poland? Insights from the European CRT Survey II Registry.

BACKGROUND

Multiple randomised clinical trials have proven that cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) reduces morbidity and mortality in appropriately selected patients with congestive heart failure and is recommended for such patients as per the European Society of Cardiology guidelines.

AIM: In this paper we compare the indications and demographics in cardiac resynchronisation recipients in Poland and other European countries.

METHODS

In 2015 and 2016, physicians from 42 European countries participated in the second edition of the European Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy Survey. For 14 months, 288 implanting centres gathered data regarding demography, indications, implanting methods, and guidance compatibility from 11,088 patients receiving CRT.

RESULTS

The survey revealed that a vast group of patients were eligible for CRT implantation (although some of them with rela-tively weak guidance recommendations) and showed essential variety in clinical practice when national data were benchmarked.

CONCLUSIONS

The population of CRT recipients in Poland and other European countries did not differ in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. In most cases, indications for CRT were in accordance with the guidelines; however some devices were implanted in patients beyond the guideline recommendations. For these procedures, the decision regarding CRT im-plantation relies mainly on the physicians' experience.