Follow-up Data
The mean follow-up period for the entire study population was 75 (range
1 to 215) months. LAE occurred in 9 non-related patients and 8/9
(88.9%) were due to appropriate ICD shocks, comprising 2 of 116 from
the asymptomatic group and 7 of 22 from the symptomatic group
(p<0.001). Death occurred because of prolonged cardiac arrest
in 1/9 (11.1%) patient in a febrile state. Therefore, the overall mean
rate of LAE per year was 1.1%, 5.1% in the symptomatic group, which
dropped to 0.27% in the asymptomatic group. Follow-up was significantly
longer in the symptomatic patients (90 [26 to 168] months) than in
the asymptomatic group (63.7 [6 to 172] months; P=0.021). Two
patients died during the follow-up period, the first 7 years after
diagnosis, following a gunshot injury, and the second of a
cholangiocarcinoma.