Optimization of coronary sinus lead placement targeted to right-to-left delay in patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy

AIMS: Anatomical placement of the coronary sinus (CS) lead in basal or mid-ventricular positions of the posterior and lateral walls is associated with a better clinical outcome of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We hypothesized that optimization of CS lead placement targeted the right-to-left electrical delay (RLD) predicts an additional clinical benefit. METHODS AND RESULTS: The CS lead was placed according to current standards in 90 patients (Conventional group) and at the site of the longest RLD in 121 patients (RLD group). Non-responders were defined as those who died or underwent hospitalization for heart failure or did not improve in their Clinical Composite Score within 6 months. There were 67 (32%) non-responders. Compared with Conventional group, the final CS pacing site was more frequently in the basal segments in the RLD group (40% vs. 23%, P = 0.007); moreover, the RLD ratio (%RLD) of the total QRS width was longer (77 ± 13 vs. 73 ± 15, P = 0.05) and biventricular QRS shortened more from the baseline (-31 ± 21 ms vs. -21 ± 26 ms, P = 0.004). Nevertheless, the rate of non-responders was similar in the RLD and Conventional groups (35% vs. 28%, P = 0.30), as was %RLD (76 ± 16 vs. 75 ± 13, P = 0.66). QRS width during right ventricular (RV) pacing was an independent predictors of adverse outcome, with a 2% increase in the risk of failure for each 1 ms increase in QRS (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Optimization of CS lead placement targeted to latest electrical activation does not provide additional clinical benefit to anatomical placement in basal or mid-ventricular positions of the posterior and lateral walls. QRS width during RV pacing was a strong predictor of CRT failure. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT03204864.