Background

After explantation of permanent implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) due to an infection patients may be prevented from sudden cardiac death (SCD) using a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD). However, data on baseline characteristics, outcome and compliance rate of this cohort are sparse

Material and Methods

Between 04/2012 and 03/2021, 63 of 893 patients were included in this registry and received a WCD after electronic device explantation. Baseline characteristics, death rate, etiology of disease, outcome of WCD use and compliance rate were analyzed.

Results

84% of patients were females and 16% were males. The mean age was 61±16 years. In general, 14% of patients were younger than 45 years. The mean wear days was 60 days and 19% of patients had a prolongation of WCD wear days>90 days. Appropriate WCD shocks were documented in 3.2% (half of them ventricular fibrillation and the other half ventricular tachycardia) of patients. No appropriate shocks were recorded during WCD use. Almost 47% of patients of this cohort suffered from ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). The rate of documented late-gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) was 86% related to ICM and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). The all-compliance rate (defined as at least 20 wear hours) of this cohort was 82%.

Conclusion

The benefit of WCD use in patients after electronic device implantation seems to be high. In this cohort LGE in cardiac MRI was significantly presented and the compliance rate was at least 82%.