In-hospital and long-term outcomes among patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection presenting with ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation.

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an important cause of myocardial infarction (MI) in young to middle-age women. Ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) may complicate acute SCAD presentations, and the long-term outcomes are unknown.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report the outcomes of SCAD patients presenting with VT/VF.

Methods: We analyzed our prospective Canadian SCAD registries for patients presenting with VT/VF during index hospitalization. Long-term outcomes including VT/VF and cardiac arrest were collected. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of VT/VF at follow-up.

Results: Among 1056 consecutive SCAD patients, 84 (8.0%) presented with VT/VF, and 8 underwent implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion. Patients with VT/VF during index hospitalization were younger (49.3 vs 52.0 years; P = .019) and were more likely to have ST-elevation MI, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left main dissection (all P <.001). Initial VT/VF was associated with in-hospital events, including recurrent MI, unplanned revascularization, heart failure, ICD insertion, and in-hospital death (all P <.05). At mean follow-up of 4.8 ± 3.3 years, 8 patients suffered VT/VF (time to event 5.2 ± 6.2 years); 5 of 8 patients had VT/VF on initial SCAD presentation, and 1 of 8 had undergone ICD insertion. Predictors of VT/VF during follow-up included LVEF <50%, LVEF <35%, peripartum SCAD, unplanned revascularization, repeat MI, heart failure, and initial VT/VF. Multivariable analysis showed initial VT/VF (odds ratio [OR] 9.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.0-44; P = .004) and LVEF <50% (OR 12.9; 95% CI 1.5-111; P = .019) were independent predictors of VT/VF at follow-up.

Conclusion: SCAD patients presenting with VT/VF were at greater risk for in-hospital events and recurrent VF/VT at follow-up. Both VT/VF and LVEF <50% were independent predictors of subsequent VT/VF.