Usefulness of echocardiographically guided left ventricular lead placement for cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with intermediate QRS width and non-left bundle branch block morphology

The current guidelines most strongly support cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with heart failure with a QRS width of ≥150 ms and left bundle branch block (LBBB). Our objective was to assess the potential benefit of echocardiographically guided left ventricular (LV) lead positioning for patients with a QRS width <150 ms or non-LBBB as a substudy of the Speckle Tracking Assisted Resynchronization Therapy for Electrode Region (STARTER) prospective, randomized controlled trial. The STARTER trial randomized 187 patients with heart failure, a QRS of ≥120 ms, and ejection fraction of ≤35% to LV lead guided to the site of latest mechanical activation by speckle tracking radial strain versus routine implantation. The predefined primary end point was heart failure hospitalization or death within 2 years. This substudy included 151 CRT patients with matching echocardiographic and LV lead position data and complete follow-up data. Patients with a QRS width of 120 to 149 ms or non-LBBB and LV lead concordant or adjacent to the site of latest mechanical activation had favorable outcomes after CRT similar to those with LBBB or a QRS width of ≥150 ms. In contrast, patients with a QRS of 120 to 149 ms or non-LBBB and remote LV leads had unfavorable outcomes (hazard ratio 5.45, 95% confidence interval 2.36 to 12.6, p <0.001, and hazard ratio 4.92, 95% confidence interval 2.12 to 11.39, p <0.001, respectively, with significant interaction after adjusting for baseline variables, p = 0.038 and p = 0.008). In conclusion, LV lead positioning with respect to the echocardiographic site of latest activation was significantly associated with more favorable clinical outcomes in patients with a QRS duration <150 ms and/or non-LBBB. Additional prospective study is warranted.