Kardiale Kontraktilitätsmodulation: Eine neue Therapieform für herzinsuffiziente Patienten mit schmalem Kammerkomplex?

A Multistep Approach to Deal With Advanced Heart Failure: A Case Report on the Positive Effect of Cardiac Contractility Modulation Therapy on Pulmonary Pressure Measured by CardioMEMS

During the last years, the management of heart failure (HF) made substantial progress, focusing on device-based therapies to meet the demands of this complex syndrome. In this case report, we present a multistep approach to deal with HF. Specifically, we report the first patient subjected to the implantation of both Optimizer Smart^® (Impulse Dynamics Inc., Marlton, NJ, USA) and CardioMEMS devices. A 72-year-old male patient with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was admitted to our cardiology department in January 2021, following a progressive shortening of the time between hospitalizations for levosimendan infusions. Specifically, the patient was monitored daily by CardioMEMS, and a strategy of levosimendan infusions guided by the device had been adopted. He was also a carrier of MitraClips and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and had optimized HF medical therapy. In January 2021, the patient implanted Optimizer Smart^® device for cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) therapy because of poor response to therapy and elevated pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). CCM significantly reduced PAP values following discharge (systolic PAP 33.67 ± 2.92 vs. 40.6 ± 3.37 mmHg, diastolic PAP 14.5 ± 2.01 vs. 22.5 ± 2.53 mmHg, mean PAP 22.87 ± 2.20 vs. 30.9 ± 2.99 mmHg, HR 60.93 ± 1.53 vs. 80.83 ± 3.66 bpm; p < 0.0001), with persisting effect at 9 months. The usefulness of CCM is objectively demonstrated for the first time by continuous invasive monitoring of PAP by CardioMEMS, which can suggest the correct timing for CCM implantation.

Similarities and Differences Between HFmrEF and HFpEF

The new guidelines classify heart failure (HF) into three subgroups based on the ejection fraction (EF): HF with reduced EF (HFrEF), HF with mid-range EF (HFmrEF), and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF). The new guidelines regarding the declaration of HFmrEF as a unique phenotype have achieved the goal of stimulating research on the basic characteristics, pathophysiology, and treatment of HF patients with a left ventricular EF of 40-49%. Patients with HFmrEF have more often been described as an intermediate population between HFrEF and HFpEF patients; however, with regard to etiology and clinical indicators, they are more similar to the HFrEF population. Concerning clinical prognosis, they are closer to HFpEF because both populations have a good prognosis and quality of life. Meanwhile, growing evidence indicates that HFmrEF and HFpEF show heterogeneity in presentation and pathophysiology, and the emergence of this heterogeneity often plays a crucial role in the prognosis and treatment of the disease. To date, the exact mechanisms and effective treatment strategies of HFmrEF and HFpEF are still poorly understood, but some of the current evidence, from observational studies and post-hoc analyses of randomized controlled trials, have shown that patients with HFmrEF may benefit more from HFrEF treatment strategies, such as beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and sacubitril/valsartan. This review summarizes available data from current clinical practice and mechanistic studies in terms of epidemiology, etiology, clinical indicators, mechanisms, and treatments to discuss the potential association between HFmrEF and HFpEF patients.

Optimizer Smart System for the treatment of chronic heart failure: Overview of its safety and efficacy

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Despite the significant progress in the prevention and treatment of HF, mortality rates still remain high. Device therapy for HF includes cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and the use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Recently, a new device therapy for the treatment of HF became available, called cardiac contractility modulation (CCM). CCM is a new device therapy for patients with HF who do not qualify for CRT. It is implanted in a minimally invasive manner to improve the patient's morbidity. Optimizer Smart System is a new device that delivers CCM therapy.Areas covered: We review the function of the Optimizer Smart System, the data from the recent clinical trials, and discuss its efficacy and future projections in the treatment for HF.Expert opinion: CCM therapy provided with the Optimizer® Smart System is safe, feasible, and applicable to a wide range of patients with HF. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the Optimizer Smart System's use merits further large multicenter randomized controlled trials.

Four-year follow-up of a patient with mixed cardiomyopathy and an implanted cardiac contractility modulation device: a case report

The article presents a case report of a 28-year-old male patient with mixed dilated cardiomyopathy: myocardial noncompaction and chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity, which led to severe heart failure (HF). With optimal drug therapy, the patient was implanted with a cardiac contractility modulation device in order to improve exercise tolerance, quality of life and relieve HF symptoms. Complex therapy has led to significant clinical and echocardiographic improvement. This case demonstrates a 4-year follow-up of a patient with a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and an implanted cardiac contractility modulation device, whose condition, after several severe HF decompensations, was stabilized.

A comprehensive individual patient data meta-analysis of the effects of cardiac contractility modulation on functional capacity and heart failure-related quality of life

Aims

Cardiac contractility modulation, also referred to as CCM™, has emerged as a promising device treatment for heart failure (HF) in patients not indicated for cardiac resynchronization therapy. We performed a comprehensive individual patient data meta‐analysis of all non‐confounded prospective randomized controlled trials of CCM vs. control that have measured functional capacity and/or quality of life questionnaires in patients with HF.

Methods and results

The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched in January 2020 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials. We also asked the sole manufacturer of the device for their list of known trials. Primary outcomes of interest were peak oxygen consumption (peak VO₂), 6 min walk test distance, and quality of life measured by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ), and all data were received as individual patient and individual time point data‐points. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for continuous data using a fixed‐effects model. Five trials were identified, four randomized studies enrolling 801 participants for all endpoints of interest, and for peak VO₂ alone (n = 60), there was an additional single arm non‐randomized trial (FIX‐HF‐5C2) with a prospective comparison of its 24 week peak VO₂ data compared with the control group of the FIX‐HF‐5C control patients. Pooled analysis showed that, compared with control, CCM significantly improved peak VO₂ (mean difference +0.93, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.30 mL/kg/min, P < 0.00001), 6 min walk test distance (mean difference +17.97, 95% CI 5.48 to 30.46 m, P = 0.005), and quality of life measured by MLWHFQ (mean difference −7.85, 95% CI −10.76 to −4.94, P < 0.00001). As a sensitivity analysis, we excluded the FIX‐HF‐5C2 trial (only relevant for peak VO₂), and the result was similar, mean difference +0.65, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.08 mL/kg/min, P = 0.004.

Conclusions

This comprehensive meta‐analysis of individual patient data from all known randomized trials has shown that CCM provides statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefits in measures of functional capacity and HF‐related quality of life.

Inappropriate Defibrillator Shocks due to Mechanical Inference from an Investigational Device

Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) is an investigational device-based therapy to enhance ventricular contractility in systolic heart failure patients who are not candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) owing to the absence of wide QRS complexes or who have failed to respond on CRT. The principal mechanism is based on the stimulation of cardiac muscles by nonexcitatory electrical signals to augment the influx of calcium ions into the cardiomyocytes. The majority of patients receiving CCM therapy have concurrent implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and the manufacturer declares both devices can be used in parallel without any interactions. Nevertheless, proper lead positioning of both devices are crucial, and it is mandatory to check device-device interactions during each and every cardiac electronic implantable device-related procedure to prevent adverse outcomes.

Cardiac contractility modulation: mechanisms of action in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and beyond

Heart failure (HF) is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality and is increasing in prevalence. Although there has been remarkable progress in the treatment of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), morbidity and mortality are still substantial. Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) signals, consisting of biphasic high-voltage bipolar signals delivered to the right ventricular septum during the absolute refractory period, have been shown to improve symptoms, exercise tolerance and quality of life and reduce the rate of HF hospitalizations in patients with ejection fractions (EF) between 25% and 45%. CCM therapy is currently approved in the European Union, China, India, Australia and Brazil for use in symptomatic HFrEF patients with normal or slightly prolonged QRS duration. CCM is particularly beneficial in patients with baseline EF between 35% and 45%, which includes half the range of HF patients with mid-range EFs (HFmrEF). At the cellular level, CCM has been shown in HFrEF patients to improve calcium handling, to reverse the foetal myocyte gene programme associated with HF, and to facilitate reverse remodelling. This review highlights the preclinical and clinical literature related to CCM in HFrEF and HFmrEF and outlines the potential of CCM for HF with preserved EF, concluding that CCM may fill an important unmet need in the therapeutic approach to HF across the range of EFs.

Cardiac contractility modulation: a novel approach for the treatment of heart failure

Heart failure is a major health problem worldwide and, despite effective therapies, is expected to grow by almost 50 % over the next 15 years. Five-year mortality remains high at 50 % over 5 years. Because of the economic burden and large impact on quality of life, substantial effort has focused on treatments with multiple medical (beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), aldosterone antagonists, and combination of ARB/neprilysin blockers, ivabradine) and device therapies (ICD, CRT) which have been implemented to reduce disease burden and mortality. However, in the past decade only two new medical therapies and no devices have been approved by the US FDA for the treatment of heart failure. This review highlights the preclinical and clinical literature, and the implantation procedure, related to a relatively new therapeutic device for heart failure; cardiac contractility modulation (CCM). CCM delivers a biphasic high-voltage bipolar signal to the RV septum during the absolute refractory period, eliciting an acute increase in global contractility, and chronically producing a sustained improvement in quality of life, exercise tolerance, and heart failure symptoms. The technology is used commercially in Europe with nearly 3000 patients implanted worldwide. Indications include patients with reduced EF and normal or slightly prolonged QRS duration, thus filling an important therapeutic gap among the 2/3 of patients with heart failure who do not meet criteria for CRT. The mechanism by which CCM provides benefit can be seen at the cellular level where improved calcium handling (phosphorylation of phospholamban, upregulation of SERCA-2A), reversal of the fetal myocyte gene program associated with heart failure, and reverse remodeling are observed. Recent retrospective studies indicate a long-term mortality benefit. A pivotal randomized controlled study is currently being completed in the USA. CCM appears to be an effective, safe technology for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.