REVERSE 5-year follow up: CRT impact persists

The role of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients presenting with mild manifestations of heart failure (HF), depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF), and wide QRS complex, has been addressed in four previous trials: MIRACLE ICD II,(1) MADIT-CRT,(2) RAFT,(3) and REVERSE.(4) The consistent observed benefits in reverse cardiac remodelling and reduction of heart failure adverse events have resulted in guideline recommendations for CRT in NYHA Class II patients. The guidelines also recommend further studies to determine whether survival is increased by CRT in patients with mild symptoms. The 5-year analysis of the REsynchronization reVErses Remodeling Systolic left vEntricular (REVERSE) trial, which was designed prospectively for 5-year follow-up to specifically assess the long term benefits of CRT, were recently published in the European Heart Journal.(5)