Expanding Benefits from Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy to Exercise-Induced Left Bundle Branch Block in Advanced Heart Failure

Indications of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) do not include exercise-induced left bundle branch block, but functional impairment could be improved with CRT in such cases. A 57-year-old woman with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction 23%) presented with New York Heart Association Class IV and recurrent hospitalizations. During heart transplant evaluation, a new onset of intermittent left bundle branch block was observed on the cardiopulmonary exercise test. CRT was implanted, and 97% resynchronization rate was achieved. In 12 month follow-up, both clinical and prognostic exercise parameters improved. In patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and no left bundle branch block at rest, exercise test can uncover electromechanical dyssynchrony that may benefit from CRT.