Response: Impact of implantable cardioverter defibrillator on survival in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Our previous study aimed to investigate overall survival (OS) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) variables in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients treated only with standard medical treatments versus those who received implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in addition to routine medical treatments. Our findings revealed no significant difference in OS between the two groups (p = .25), but a significant decrease in SCD rate due to ICD insertion (p = .02). Furthermore, we found no significant difference between the two groups concerning baseline characteristics and type of medical treatments received. We attempted to answer and clarify the concerning points regarding the survival benefits of ICD insertion in nonischemic DCM patients that were mentioned.