Impact of Baseline Right Ventricular Function on the Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy - A Meta-analysis

Baseline right ventricular (RV) function potentially determines the response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) but is not included in the current selection criteria. In this meta-analysis, we examined the value of echocardiographic indices of RV function as potential predictors of CRT outcomes in patients with standard indications for CRT. Baseline tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was consistently higher in CRT responders, and this association appears independent of age, sex, ischemic etiology of heart failure, and baseline left ventricular ejection fraction. This proof-of-concept meta-analysis of observational data may justify a more detailed assessment of RV function as an additional component in the selection process of CRT candidates.