Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has a beneficial effect on clinical symptoms, exercise capacity, and systolic left ventricular (LV) performance in patients with heart failure. The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether a gender difference exists in response to CRT. Methods: Consecutive patients with end-stage heart failure (New York Heart Association, NYHA, class III-IV), LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35%, QRS duration >120 ms, and left bundle branch block configuration underwent CRT. At baseline and 6 months post-CRT, clinical and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated; follow-up was obtained up to 5 years. The effects of CRT were compared between women and men. Results: The study population comprised 137 men and 36 women (mean age 66 ± 11 years). No differences in baseline characteristics were observed except that nonischemic cardiomyopathy was more frequent in women than men (67% vs 38%, P < 0.05). In all patients, clinical and echocardiographic parameters improved significantly at 6-month follow-up. The magnitude of improvement in different parameters was similar between women and men, e.g., the improvement in NYHA Class was 0.9 ± 0.6 in women and 1.0 ± 0.7 in men (NS) and the increase in LVEF was 8 ± 8% in women as compared to 7 ± 9% in men (NS). The percentage of individual responders was not different between women and men (76% vs 80%, NS) and 2-year survival was comparable for women and men (84% vs 80%, NS). Conclusion: No gender differences were observed in response to CRT and long-term survival after CRT.

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doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-8159.2005.00267.x, hdl.handle.net/1765/73067
Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology
Department of Cardiology

Bleeker, G., Schalij, M. J., Boersma, E., Steendijk, P., van der Wall, E., & Bax, J. (2005). Does a gender difference in response to cardiac resynchronization therapy exist?. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 28(12), 1271–1275. doi:10.1111/j.1540-8159.2005.00267.x