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Physical activity volume in patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is associated with recurrence after ventricular tachycardia ablation

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Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To assess the role of intense physical activity (PA) on recurrence after ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 63 patients with definite diagnosis of ACM who underwent to catheter ablation (CA) of VT. PA was quantified in METs per week by IPAQ questionnaire in 51 patients. VT-free survival time after ablation was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier’s curves.

Results

The weekly amount of PA was higher in patients with VT recurrence (2303.1 METs vs 1043.5 METs, p = 0.042). The best cutoff to predict VT recurrence after CA was 584 METs/week (AUC = 0.66, sensibility = 85.0%, specificity = 45.2%). Based on this cutoff, 34 patients were defined as high level athletes (Hi-PA) and 17 patients as low-level athletes (Lo-PA). During a median follow-up of 32.0 months (11.5–65.5), 22 patients (34.9%) experienced VT recurrence. Lo-PA patients had a longer VT-free survival, compared with Hi-PA patients (82.4% vs 50.0%, log-rank p = 0.025). At Cox multivariate analysis, independent predictors of the VT recurrence were PA ≥ 584 METs/week (Hi-PA) (HR = 2.61, CI 95% 1.03–6.58, p = 0.04) and late potential (LP) abolition (HR = 0.38, CI 95% 0.16–0.89, p = 0.03).

Conclusions

PA ≥ 584 METs/week and LP abolition were independent predictors of VT recurrence after ablation.

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Availability of data and material (data transparency)

The study data will be made available to other researchers from the corresponding author upon reasonable request for purposes of reproducing the results.

Abbreviations

AMC:

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy

CA:

Catheter ablation

LV:

Left ventricle (LV)

PA:

Physical activity

RV:

Right ventricle

SCD:

Sudden cardiac death

TWI:

T-wave inversion

VTT:

Ventricular tachycardia

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arrhythmology Unit and Clinical Electrophysiology Laboratories, Ospedale San Raffaele, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy

    Pasquale Vergara, Luigi Pannone, Francesco Calvo, Giulio Falasconi, Luca Foppoli, Manuela Cireddu, Giuseppe D’Angelo, Luca Limite, Antonio Boccellino, Simone Gulletta & Paolo Della Bella

  2. Radiology Unit, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy

    Anna Palmisano & Antonio Esposito

  3. Cardiac Imaging Unit, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy

    Cristina Capogrosso, Stefano Stella & Eustachio Agricola

  4. Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy

    Antonio Esposito & Eustachio Agricola

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  1. Pasquale Vergara
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  3. Francesco Calvo
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Correspondence to Pasquale Vergara.

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Conflict of interest

Paolo Della Bella is consultant for St. Jude Medical and has received honoraria for lectures from Biosense Webster, St. Jude Medical, and Biotronik. The other authors declare no competing interests.

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Pasquale Vergara and Luigi Pannone are shared first authors

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Vergara, P., Pannone, L., Calvo, F. et al. Physical activity volume in patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is associated with recurrence after ventricular tachycardia ablation. J Interv Card Electrophysiol 65, 15–24 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-021-01019-6

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