Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology, 29 5 2025, Pages euaf240 Evolution of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shock therapy in children in the era of optimized ICD programming and remote monitoring. Bertels RA, Boersma E, Zeggelaar MD, van Dongen SAF, Ten Harkel ADJ, van Erven L, Smeding C, Bartelds B, van den Berg G, Boesaard EP, Bhagwandien RE, Yap SC, Knops RE, Blom NA, Kammeraad JAE
Background and aims
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is effective in preventing sudden cardiac death in children. Unnecessary shocks should be avoided. ICD programming strategies and remote monitoring have been proven to be effective in preventing ICD shock therapy in adults, the present study evaluates the effectiveness in children.
Methods
Retrospective multi-center study, including children with transvenous or epicardial ICD implantation. During follow-up data on ICD-shocks, programming variables and remote monitoring were collected.
Results
One-hundred-sixteen children were included, median age 13.4 years (min-max 0.3-18), median follow-up 5.2 years (IQR 3.7-6.6). Fifty-three with an ICD implanted before 2010 and 63 after 2010. The total, appropriate and inappropriate annual shock rate decreased from 10.5% to 8% (difference in mean cumulative function (MCF) P=0.008), 7.8% to 5.8% (MCF P=0.036) and 4.3% to 2.6% (MCF P=0.28) respectively, without increase in cardiac related death. Remote monitoring was associated with a decrease of total shocks (MCF P=0.013) and appropriate shocks (MCF P=0.052). The VF zone was programmed higher (≥210 bpm) at the time of appropriate versus inappropriate shocks (86% vs 79%; P=0.0016); with no significant change in VF zone programming after 2010 compared to before 2010 (90% vs 76%; P=0.142) and in patients with versus without shocks (79% vs 89%; P=0.243).
Conclusions
The incidence of ICD shocks has significantly decreased in children with implantation after 2010, which appears to be multifactorial. A changed programming behavior and remote monitoring are associated to this decrease and support its use in strategies to prevent unnecessary shocks in children.
