Matching Ablation Endpoints to Long-Term Outcome The Prospective Multicenter Italian Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Registry

BACKGROUND Multicenter ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation studies have shown poorer outcomes compared with single-center experiences. This difference could be related to heterogeneous mapping and ablation strategies. OBJECTIVES This study evaluated a homogenous simplified catheter ablation strategy for different substrates and compared the results with those of a single referral center. METHODS This was a multicenter prospective VT ablation registry of patients with the following 4 causes of VT: previous myocardial infarction; previous myocarditis; arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia; or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The procedural protocol included precise mapping and ablation steps with the combined endpoint of late potential (LP) abolition and noninducibility of VT. The long-term primary efficacy endpoint was freedom from VT. RESULTS A total of 309 patients were enrolled. LPs were present in 70% of patients and were abolished in 83%. At the end of the procedure 74% of LPs were noninducible. The primary combined endpoint of LP abolition and noninducibility was achieved in 64% of patients with LPs at baseline. Freedom from VT at 12 months was observed in 67% of patients. In the overall study group, VT inducibility was the only predictor of freedom from VT (P = 0.013). In patients with LPs, the VT recurrence rate was lower both for patients with complete LP abolition (P = 0.040) and for patients meeting the composite endpoint (P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS A standardized VT mapping and ablation technique reproduced the procedural outcomes of a single referral center in a multicenter prospective study. LP abolition and noninducibility were effective in reducing VT recurrences in patients with 4 causes of cardiomyopathy. (Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Registry; NCT03649022) (J Am Coll Cardiol EP 2023;9:836-847) (c) 2023 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.

Automated summary

This study evaluated a simplified catheter ablation strategy and compared the results with those of a single referral center. The standardized mapping and ablation technique reproduced the procedural outcomes in a multicenter prospective study, effectively reducing ventricular tachycardia (VT) recurrences in patients with four causes of cardiomyopathy.