The effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy on arterial stiffness and central hemodynamic parameters.

Introduction: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a device-based method of treatment which decreases morbidity and mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This study was aimed to investigate the effects of CRT on hemodynamic and arterial stiffness parameters evaluated by noninvasive method, and determine whether there is a correlation between the changes after CRT in these parameters and the clinical response to CRT or not.

Methods: The study included 46 patients with HFrEF who were planned to undergo CRT implantation. Before the CRT implantation, clinical and demographic data were recorded from all patients. Hemodynamic and arterial stiffness parameters were measured oscillometrically by an arteriograph before CRT implantation. The patients were re-evaluated minimum three months after CRT; the above-mentioned parameters were measured again and compared to the pre-CRT period.

Results: Compared to the period before CRT, mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) (116.8 ± 19.1 mm Hg vs 127.7 ± 20.9 mm Hg,  = .005), central SBP (cSBP) (106.2 ± 17.3 mm Hg vs 116.8 ± 18.7 mm Hg,  = .015), cardiac output (CO) (4.6 ± 0.8 lt/min vs 5.1 ± 0.8 lt/min,  = .002), stroke volume (65.6 ± 16.3 mL vs 72.0 ± 14.9 mL), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) (10 ± 1.6 m/sec vs 10.4 ± 1.8 m/sec,  = .004) increased significantly in post-CRT period. In addition, the same parameters were significantly increased post-CRT period in patients with clinical response. However, there was not any similar increase in nonresponder patients.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that SBP, CO, and PWV increased significantly after CRT. The modest increases in these parameters were observed to be associated with positive clinical outcomes.