Aim. To study hemodynamic changes according to transthoracic echocardiography, heart failure (HF) course, quality of life (QOL) of patients, complications and mortality within 12 months after implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Material and methods. The study included 53 patients with endstage HF who met the criteria for LVAD implantation. Group 1 included 23 patients who underwent implantation, while group 2 included 30 patients who refused the intervention. At baseline, before discharge, and after 3, 6, and 12 months, the following were performed: transthoracic echocardiography, 6-minute walk test, assessment of HF class, quality of life, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, hospitalization rate, complications, and fatal outcomes. Results. Mortality in group 1 was 30,4%, and in group 2 — 30,0%. The following complications of LVAD implantation were recorded: right ventricular failure — 13, gastrointestinal bleeding — 3, ventricular tachycardia — 4, LVAD-associated infection — 14 cases. Unlike group 2, in group 1, we recorded decrease of LV end-diastolic dimension from 7,4 7,1; 8,0 to 6,4 5,7; 6,9 cm (p<0,001), mitral regurgitation from 2,2±0,54 to 1,44±0,4 st, (p<0,001), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide from 2239 1623; 4057 to 740 438.5; 1273 pg/ml (p<0,001), as well as improvement of HF class (p<0,001), and lower hospitalization rate — 23 vs 37 (p=0,014). Conclusion. In the present study, LVAD implantation improved intracardiac hemodynamics, HF class, quality of life, as well as decreased the hospitalization and HF decompensation rates, but not a mortality.
Shahramanova et al. (Tue,) studied this question.