Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background and aims
An electrical storm (ES) is a clinical emergency with a paucity of established treatment options. Despite initial encouraging reports about the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous stellate ganglion block (PSGB), many questions remained unsettled and evidence from a prospective multicentre study was still lacking. For these purposes, the STAR study was designed.Methods
This is a multicentre observational study enrolling patients suffering from an ES refractory to standard treatment from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2023. The primary outcome was the reduction of treated arrhythmic events by at least 50% comparing the 12 h following PSGB with the 12 h before the procedure. STAR operators were specifically trained to both the anterior anatomical and the lateral ultrasound-guided approach.Results
A total of 131 patients from 19 centres were enrolled and underwent 184 PSGBs. Patients were mainly male (83.2%) with a median age of 68 (63.8-69.2) years and a depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (25.0 ± 12.3%). The primary outcome was reached in 92% of patients, and the median reduction of arrhythmic episodes between 12 h before and after PSGB was 100% (interquartile range -100% to -92.3%). Arrhythmic episodes requiring treatment were significantly reduced comparing 12 h before the first PSGB with 12 h after the last procedure [six (3-15.8) vs. 0 (0-1), P < .0001] and comparing 1 h before with 1 h after each procedure [2 (0-6) vs. 0 (0-0), P < .001]. One major complication occurred (0.5%).Conclusions
The findings of this large, prospective, multicentre study provide evidence in favour of the effectiveness and safety of PSGB for the treatment of refractory ES.
SUBMITTER: Savastano S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10919918 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Savastano Simone S Baldi Enrico E Compagnoni Sara S Rordorf Roberto R Sanzo Antonio A Gentile Francesca Romana FR Dusi Veronica V Frea Simone S Gravinese Carol C Cauti Filippo Maria FM Iannopollo Gianmarco G De Sensi Francesco F Gandolfi Edoardo E Frigerio Laura L Crea Pasquale P Zagari Domenico D Casula Matteo M Sangiorgi Giuseppe G Persampieri Simone S Dell'Era Gabriele G Patti Giuseppe G Colombo Claudia C Mugnai Giacomo G Notaristefano Francesco F Barengo Alberto A Falcetti Roberta R Perego Giovanni Battista GB D'Angelo Giuseppe G Tanese Nikita N Currao Alessia A Sgromo Vito V De Ferrari Gaetano Maria GM
European heart journal 20240301 10
<h4>Background and aims</h4>An electrical storm (ES) is a clinical emergency with a paucity of established treatment options. Despite initial encouraging reports about the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous stellate ganglion block (PSGB), many questions remained unsettled and evidence from a prospective multicentre study was still lacking. For these purposes, the STAR study was designed.<h4>Methods</h4>This is a multicentre observational study enrolling patients suffering from an ES refrac ...[more]