The efficacy and safety of alcohol septal ablation stratified by alcohol dosage for patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is recommended for moderate to severe symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. The current guidelines don not recommend particular alcohol doses and the amount of alcohol injected into the septal artery is based more on the interventionalist's decision rather than on systematic evidence. Our objective is to execute a comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of low alcohol doses (1-2 ml)) in comparison to large ones (2-4 ml).
Methods: Multiple databases, encompassing PubMed, WOS, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane library were systemically assessed from inception to October 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing low-alcohol and high-alcohol dose in patients with HOCM was included. The main outcome was creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB). The secondary ones are septal thickness, left ventricular outflow pressure gradient, and atrioventricular (AV) block.
Results: Eight studies, with a total of 1446 individuals, were finally involved in our investigation. low alcohol doses showed lower CK-MB levels relative to high ones (MD=-0.93, 95% CI [-1.15 to -0.72], P = 0.00001). Furthermore, in terms of septal thickness, left ventricular outflow pressure gradient, and AV block, neither of the two doses was preferred.
Conclusion: We propose that the low alcohol dose is equally effective as the high dose. moreover, the low alcohol dose was associated with a lower CK-MB levels in comparison to the high one.
Prospero Registration: CRD42024511537.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)