P1433 Antiarrhythmic effects of sacubitril-valsartan therapy assessed by mechanical dispersion index

Abstract Introduction Sacubitril/Valsartan (LCZ696) significantly reduced sudden cardiac death in the PARADIGM-HF trial. However, there is little published data regarding the possible explanations for the antiarrhythmic effects found with LCZ696 therapy. Previous trials have shown that mechanical dispersion by strain echocardiography can predict arrhythmic events in Heart Failure (HF) patients. The aim of this study was to compare electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters and mechanical dispersion index with left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis before and after LCZ696 therapy. Methods Prospective evaluation of chronic HF patients with LV ejection fraction ≤ 40% despite optimized standard of care therapy, in which LCZ696 therapy was started and no additional HF treatment was expected to change. ECG and transthoracic echocardiographic data were gathered in the week before starting LCZ696 therapy and 6 months after therapy. A semiautomated analysis of LV GLS was made and mechanical dispersion index was defined as the standard deviation from the 16 time intervals corresponding to each LV segment. Results Of the 42 patients, 35 (83.3%) completed the 6 months of follow-up, since 2 (4.8%) patients died and 5 (11.9%) discontinued treatment for adverse events. Mean age was 58.6 ± 11.1 years. QTc interval (451.9 vs 426.0msec, p < 0.001) and QRS interval (125.1 vs 120.8msec, p = 0.033) were reduced after 6 months of LCZ696 therapy. Mechanical dispersion index (88.4 vs 78.1msec, p = 0.036) was also significantly reduced after therapy. Conclusion LCZ696 therapy is associated with antiarrhythmic effects with a reduction in QTc and QRS intervals in ECG and a reduction in mechanical dispersion index as assessed by LV GLS. Abstract P1433 Figure.