OBJECTIVES

Ablation is an effective treatment approach among patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT). Using a nationally representative hospital database, this study examined the baseline characteristics of patients undergoing VT ablation in the United States (US).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was used. Patients (aged ≥18 years) with a primary diagnosis of VT who underwent catheter ablation (first procedure) in an inpatient or outpatient setting between 2011-2018 were identified using the Premier Healthcare database. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients and hospital characteristics were examined. Patients were classified into ischemic VT and non-ischemic VT for the assessment of baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 11,390 patients met the study criteria, with 4,703 having ischemic VT and 6,687 having non-ischemic VT. A third of patients were aged ≥70 years (48% for ischemic VT and 22% for non-ischemic VT), with 70% being male (88% for ischemic VT and 57% for non-ischemic VT), and 78% being white (83% for ischemic VT and 78% for non-ischemic VT). Almost 60% of ablation occurred in an inpatient setting (74% for ischemic VT and 49% for non-ischemic VT). In terms of hospital characteristics, 54% of VT ablations occurred in hospitals with bed size 500+, and 58% were classified as teaching hospital. Almost 45% of patients had CHADS₂VASc score of ≥3 (67% for ischemic VT and 31% for non-ischemic VT). As per comorbidity status, 61% of patients had hypertension (77% for ischemic VT and 49% for non-ischemic VT), 23% had diabetes (33% for ischemic VT and 16% for non-ischemic VT), and 48% had heart failure (72% for ischemic VT and 31% for non-ischemic VT).

CONCLUSIONS

Variation in demographic and clinical characteristics was observed among ischemic VT and non-ischemic VT patients, with the former group having considerable comorbidity burden.