Nonsustained, asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia in patients with coronary artery disease: prognosis and incidence of sudden death of patients who are noninducible by electrophysiological testing

The objective of this study was to determine the long-term prognosis and the sudden death risk for patients with coronary artery disease and spontaneous nonsustained ventricular tachycardia who are not inducible by electrophysiological testing. Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who have spontaneous or inducible sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) by electrophysiological testing are at increased risk of dying suddenly, and noninducibility is often considered as a favorable prognostic factor in their risk assessment. We studied 120 consecutive patients with CAD and nonsustained VT during Holter monitoring and followed the patients who were noninducible (n = 93) for 3.5 +/- 1.6 years. None of these patients received antiarrhythmic therapy except beta-blockade. Overall mortality and the sudden death risk was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier estimation. Predictors for overall mortality and sudden death were determined by multivariate analysis. During follow-up, 23 of the 93 patients died, including 13 suddenly. Overall mortality was 9% after 1 year, 16% after 2 years, and 21% after 3 years, respectively. The incidence of sudden death was 1% after 1 year, 8% after 2 years, and 13% after 3 years, respectively. Patients with a LVEF < or = 0.35 had an increased overall mortality risk with 15% after 1 year, 29% after 2 years, and 34% after 3 years (P = 0.012) and a risk of dying suddenly of 4% after 1 year, 12% after 2 years, and 18% after 3 years (P = NS), respectively. LVEF was the only independent predictor for overall mortality. In conclusion, patients with coronary artery disease and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia who are not inducible by electrophysiological testing have a moderate long-term overall mortality risk. The risk of dying suddenly in this patient group is small but not negligible, especially in patients with impaired LVEF.