Cited 251 times since 2004 (12.1 per year) source: EuropePMC Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 44, Issue 1, 1 1 2004, Pages 1-9 Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac resynchronization therapy: ready for routine clinical use? A critical appraisal. Bax JJ, Ansalone G, Breithardt OA, Derumeaux G, Leclercq C, Schalij MJ, Sogaard P, St John Sutton M, Nihoyannopoulos P
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been proposed as an alternative treatment in patients with severe, drug-refractory heart failure. The clinical results are promising, and improvement in symptoms, exercise capacity, and systolic left ventricular (LV) function have been demonstrated after CRT, accompanied by a reduction in hospitalization and a superior survival as compared with optimized medical therapy alone. However, 20% to 30% of patients do not respond to CRT. Currently, patients are selected mainly on electrocardiogram criteria (wide QRS complex, left bundle branch block configuration). In view of the 20% to 30% of nonresponders, additional selection criteria are needed. Echocardiography (and, in particular, tissue Doppler imaging) may allow further identification of potential responders to CRT, based on assessment of inter- and intraventricular dyssynchrony. In addition, echocardiography may allow optimal LV lead positioning and follow-up after CRT. In the current review, the different echocardiographic approaches to predict response to CRT are discussed. In addition, the use of echocardiography to guide LV lead positioning and follow-up after CRT are addressed.
