Letter by Barakat et al Regarding Article, “Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator for Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: An Updated Meta-Analysis”

Letter by Lin et al regarding article, "Heart rate predicts outcomes in an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator population".

Letter by Boriani et al regarding article, "Death without prior appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy: a competing risk study".

BACKGROUND Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) improve survival in selected patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction in randomized trials. Competing death without prior appropriate ICD therapy might preclude benefit from ICD implantation in a less selected routine-care population. METHODS AND RESULTS We selected all patients with ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy with a...

Letter by Mareev et al Regarding Article, "Comparative Effectiveness of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators for Primary Prevention in Women".

Zeitler et al suggest that implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) exert a similar reduction in mortality in men and women, but their estimate of the absolute reduction in mortality for either sex (≈7.5% at 1 year and 10% by 3 years) far exceeds that observed (about 0% and 5% at 1 and 3 years, respectively) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) These large differences require reconcilia...

Letter by Baruteau et al regarding article, "Peripartum cardiomyopathy as a part of familial dilated cardiomyopathy".

BACKGROUND Anecdotal cases of familial clustering of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and familial occurrences of PPCM and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) together have been observed, suggesting that genetic factors play a role in the pathogenesis of PPCM. We hypothesized that some cases of PPCM are part of the spectrum of familial DCM, presenting in the peripartum period. METHODS AND...

Letter by Fazio and Carlomagno regarding article, "Heart rate predicts outcomes in an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator population".

BACKGROUND Elevated heart rate (HR) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events and total mortality in the general population and in individuals with heart disease. Our hypothesis was that mean HR predicts total mortality and heart failure hospitalization in patients undergoing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS The Inhibition of Unnecessary RV...