Incidence of appropriate cardioverter-defibrillator shocks and mortality in patients with heart failure treated with combined cardiac resynchronization plus implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy versus implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy

Of 529 patients with heart failure and a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 29%, 209 (40%) were treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) plus an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and 320 (60%) with an ICD. Mean follow-up was 34 months for both groups. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that significant independent variables for appropriate ICD shocks were statins (risk ratio = 0.35, P <.0001), smoking (risk ratio = 2.52, P <.0001), and digoxin (risk ratio = 1.92, P =.0001). Significant independent variables for time to deaths were use of CRT (risk ratio = 0.32, P =.0006), statins (risk ratio = 0.18, P <.0001), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (risk ratio = 0.10, P <.0001), hypertension (risk ratio = 24.15, P <.0001), diabetes (risk ratio = 2.54, P =.0005), and age (risk ratio = 1.06, P <.0001). In conclusion, statins reduced and smoking and digoxin increased appropriate ICD shocks. Use of CRT, statins, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers reduced mortality and hypertension, diabetes, and older age increased mortality.