According to a paper published on Nov. 20 in Circulation Cardiovascular Quality Outcomes, results from a longitudinal study of implantable cardio-defibrillators (ICDs) will address major knowledge gaps related to optimal use of ICDs for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death.

The study was a unique, multistakeholder, multicenter initiative involving a diverse, contemporary care cohort of primary prevention ICD patients, and looked at consecutive patients undergoing primary prevention ICD placement in seven health plans. Using baseline data from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR®) ICD Registry™, the study showed that compared with the populations of primary prevention ICD therapy randomized, controlled trials, the cohort was on average significantly older, more often female, more often from racial and ethnic minority groups, and has a higher burden of coexisting conditions. The cohort is similar to a national population undergoing primary prevention ICD placement.

Additional Resources Full Study Journal Scan  NCDR® ICD Registry™

The authors note that "results of longitudinal data collection is underway, and will include hospitalization, mortality, and resource use from standardized health plan data archives."

"This study was designed to respond to and address the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' coverage with evidence development questions surrounding the frequency with which ICDs provide therapies for arrhythmias in a high population that is at high risk for death from malignant ventricular arrhythmias," said Frederick A. Masoudi, MD, MSPH, FACC, associate professor of medicine, University of Colorado, Denver. "The results of the longitudinal study of ICDs will provide additional information regarding the outcomes of patients receiving primary prevention ICD therapy in contemporary practice."

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