Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety

Abstract This systematic review evaluated the clinical effectiveness and safety of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (S‐ICD) in patients at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death and with an ICD indication for primary or secondary prevention. A systematic literature search was c...

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Main Authors: Sarah Wolf, Gregor Götz, Bernhard Wernly, Claudia Wild
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-04-01
Series:ESC Heart Failure
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.14249
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author Sarah Wolf
Gregor Götz
Bernhard Wernly
Claudia Wild
author_facet Sarah Wolf
Gregor Götz
Bernhard Wernly
Claudia Wild
author_sort Sarah Wolf
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This systematic review evaluated the clinical effectiveness and safety of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (S‐ICD) in patients at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death and with an ICD indication for primary or secondary prevention. A systematic literature search was conducted in four databases (Medline via Ovid, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and HTA‐INAHTA). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled observational studies with ≥100 S‐ICD patients and a low to moderate risk of bias were eligible for inclusion. The studies' quality and the available evidence's strength were assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, the ROBINS‐I tool, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. One RCT, a post hoc analysis of the RCT (n = 849) and four controlled observational studies (n = 7149) were included. The quality of the available evidence was graded as low to very low, except for the primary composite endpoint of the RCT, which was rated as moderate quality. After 4 years, the RCT showed that S‐ICD was non‐inferior to TV‐ICD regarding the composite endpoint of inappropriate shocks and device‐related complications (68 [15.1%] vs. 68 [15.7%], hazard ratio [HR] 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.71, 1.39], non‐inferiority margin 1.45, P = 0.001). The RCT and two observational studies reported statistically significantly fewer lead complications in S‐ICD patients (after 4 years: 1.4% vs. 6.6%, HR 0.24, 95% CI [0.10, 0.54]; after 3 years: 0.3% vs. 2.3%, P = 0.03; and after 5 years: 0.8% vs. 11.5%, P = 0.03). Identified evidence about appropriate and inappropriate shocks was inconclusive: The RCT detected statistically significantly more appropriate shocks in patients with S‐ICD (83 [19.2%] vs. 57 [11.5%], HR 1.52, 95% CI [1.08, 2.12], P = 0.02), whereas one observational study showed a statistically significantly lower rate in the S‐ICD group (9.9%, 95% CI [7.0, 13.9], vs. 13.9%, 95% CI [10.8, 17.8], P = 0.003). Regarding inappropriate shocks, one observational study reported statistically significantly higher rates in the S‐ICD cohort (11.9% vs. 7.5%, P = 0.007), whereas the RCT and two other observational studies did not detect a statistically significant difference between the treatment groups (P > 0.05). None of the included studies showed a statistically significant difference in overall mortality and shock efficacy between patients with S‐ICD and TV‐ICD (P > 0.05). The available evidence is insufficient to show the superiority of S‐ICD compared with TV‐ICD, hindering the widespread use of the technology. Results of the recently completed ATLAS trial are to be awaited, and the anticipated role of the S‐ICD needs to be clearly formulated.
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spelling doaj.art-81c3a2bf5b8a4e0c9409fd523219b0882023-03-29T11:45:20ZengWileyESC Heart Failure2055-58222023-04-0110280882310.1002/ehf2.14249Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safetySarah Wolf0Gregor Götz1Bernhard Wernly2Claudia Wild3HTA Austria—Austrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment GmbH (Former: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for HTA) Vienna AustriaHTA Austria—Austrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment GmbH (Former: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for HTA) Vienna AustriaDepartment of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Oberndorf Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg Salzburg AustriaHTA Austria—Austrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment GmbH (Former: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for HTA) Vienna AustriaAbstract This systematic review evaluated the clinical effectiveness and safety of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (S‐ICD) in patients at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death and with an ICD indication for primary or secondary prevention. A systematic literature search was conducted in four databases (Medline via Ovid, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and HTA‐INAHTA). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled observational studies with ≥100 S‐ICD patients and a low to moderate risk of bias were eligible for inclusion. The studies' quality and the available evidence's strength were assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, the ROBINS‐I tool, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. One RCT, a post hoc analysis of the RCT (n = 849) and four controlled observational studies (n = 7149) were included. The quality of the available evidence was graded as low to very low, except for the primary composite endpoint of the RCT, which was rated as moderate quality. After 4 years, the RCT showed that S‐ICD was non‐inferior to TV‐ICD regarding the composite endpoint of inappropriate shocks and device‐related complications (68 [15.1%] vs. 68 [15.7%], hazard ratio [HR] 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.71, 1.39], non‐inferiority margin 1.45, P = 0.001). The RCT and two observational studies reported statistically significantly fewer lead complications in S‐ICD patients (after 4 years: 1.4% vs. 6.6%, HR 0.24, 95% CI [0.10, 0.54]; after 3 years: 0.3% vs. 2.3%, P = 0.03; and after 5 years: 0.8% vs. 11.5%, P = 0.03). Identified evidence about appropriate and inappropriate shocks was inconclusive: The RCT detected statistically significantly more appropriate shocks in patients with S‐ICD (83 [19.2%] vs. 57 [11.5%], HR 1.52, 95% CI [1.08, 2.12], P = 0.02), whereas one observational study showed a statistically significantly lower rate in the S‐ICD group (9.9%, 95% CI [7.0, 13.9], vs. 13.9%, 95% CI [10.8, 17.8], P = 0.003). Regarding inappropriate shocks, one observational study reported statistically significantly higher rates in the S‐ICD cohort (11.9% vs. 7.5%, P = 0.007), whereas the RCT and two other observational studies did not detect a statistically significant difference between the treatment groups (P > 0.05). None of the included studies showed a statistically significant difference in overall mortality and shock efficacy between patients with S‐ICD and TV‐ICD (P > 0.05). The available evidence is insufficient to show the superiority of S‐ICD compared with TV‐ICD, hindering the widespread use of the technology. Results of the recently completed ATLAS trial are to be awaited, and the anticipated role of the S‐ICD needs to be clearly formulated.https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.14249Implantable cardioverter‐defibrillatorICDSubcutaneousTransvenousSudden cardiac deathEvidence‐based medicine
spellingShingle Sarah Wolf
Gregor Götz
Bernhard Wernly
Claudia Wild
Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety
ESC Heart Failure
Implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator
ICD
Subcutaneous
Transvenous
Sudden cardiac death
Evidence‐based medicine
title Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety
title_full Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety
title_fullStr Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety
title_full_unstemmed Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety
title_short Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator: a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety
title_sort subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator a systematic review of comparative effectiveness and safety
topic Implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator
ICD
Subcutaneous
Transvenous
Sudden cardiac death
Evidence‐based medicine
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.14249
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