Short atrioventricular delay pacing therapy in young and old patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: good long-term results and a low need for reinterventions

Examination of long-term results following different treatments in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) in a complete geographical cohort.

HOCM patients attending during 2002–13 in all 10 hospitals in the West Götaland Region, Sweden, were identified (n = 251), follow-up 14.4 (±8.9) years (mean ± SD), 121 managed medically, 42 treated with myectomy and 88 with short atrioventricular (AV) delay pacing as first interventional procedure. Post-intervention follow-up was 12.9 ± 8.7 years and 12.2 ± 5.0 years, respectively. Both intervention treatments improved New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and outflow gradients significantly. Patients treated with pacing were older (median age 64 vs. 43 years, P < 0.001). Freedom from disease-related death post-procedure at 5, 10, and 20 years were 93%, 80%, 56% vs. 93%, 93%, 57% in pacing and myectomy groups, respectively (log-rank P = 0.43). Survival after diagnosis was not different in patients just treated conservatively (P = 0.51 pacing/conservative; P = 0.39 myectomy/conservative). Reintervention for outflow gradients in patients ≥18 years at procedure occurred in 3.5% in pacing group and 15.6% in myectomy group (P = 0.007). Pacing therapy was equally effective in patients aged 13–64 years (n = 44), as in patients ≥65 years (n = 44): resting gradient pre-procedure and at last follow-up were median (IQR) 65 (71) and 12 (20) mmHg for <65 year-olds (P < 0.001), and 75 (64) and 14 (38) mmHg, respectively, for ≥65 year-olds (P < 0.001). New York Heart Association class improved significantly in both age ranges to 1.6 ± 0.6 and 1.8 ± 0.7, respectively (P < 0.001; P < 0.001).

Short AV delay pacing provided lasting satisfactory relief of symptoms and outflow obstruction in the majority of patients, with low risk of requiring reintervention. Our findings support the view that pacing therapy should be considered a valid option to treat patients with HOCM.