Clinical and economic impact of multipoint left ventricular pacing : a comparative analysis from the Italian registry on multipoint pacing in cardiac resynchronization therapy (IRON-MPP)

Introduction: Early evidence suggests that multipoint left ventricular pacing (MPP) may improve response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). It is unknown whether this benefit is sustained and cost-effective. We used real-world data to evaluate long-term impact of MPP-ON clinical status, heart failure hospitalizations (HFH) and costs. Methods: The Italian registry on multipoint left ventricular pacing is a prospective, multicenter registry of patients implanted with MPP-enabled CRT devices. For this analysis, clinical and echocardiographic data were collected through 24 months and compared between patients with (MPP-ON) or without (MPP-OFF) early MPP activation at implant. The total cost of each HFH was estimated with national Italian reimbursement rates. Results: The study included 190 MPP-OFF and 128 MPP-ON patients with similar baseline characteristics. At 1 and 2 years, the MPP-ON group had lower rates of HFH vs MPP-OFF (1-year hazard ratio [HR]: 0.14, P =.0014; 2-year HR: 0.38, P =.009). The finding persisted in a subgroup of patients with consistent MPP activation through follow-up (1-year HR: 0.19; P =.0061; 2-year HR: 0.39, P =.022). Total HFH per-patient costs were lower in the MPP-ON vs the MPP-OFF group at 1 year (€101 ± 50 vs €698 ± 195, P <.001) and 2 years (€366 ± 149 vs €801 ± 203, P =.038). More MPP-ON patients had ≥5% improvement in ejection fraction (76.8% vs 65.4%, P =.025) and clinical composite score (66.7% vs 47.5%, P =.01). Conclusions: In this multicenter clinical study, early MPP activation was associated with a significant reduction in cumulative HFH and related costs after 1 and 2 years of follow-up.