Effect of Implanted Defibrillator on Mortality in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

The beneficial role of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of ICD on mortality in patients with CKD. A literature search was conducted for studies reporting the effect of ICD on all-cause mortality in patients with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m²). The search was not restricted to time or publication status. The search included the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and EBSCO CINAHL. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. The minimum duration of follow-up required for inclusion was 1 year. The literature search identified 834 studies, of which 14 studies with 70,661 patients were included. Mean follow-up was 39 months (12 to 81 months). For all patients with CKD, ICD was associated with lower all-cause mortality (log hazard ratio [HR] −0.247, standard error [SE] 0.101, p = 0.015). Heterogeneity: degree of freedom = 13 (p <0.01), I² = 97.057; test for overall effect: Z = −2.431 (p = 0.015). When further stratified based on dialysis, patients with CKD without the need for dialysis had significantly lower mortality (log HR −0.211, SE 0.095, p = 0.026), with a similar trend in patients who underwent dialysis (log HR −0.262, SE 0.134, p = 0.051). ICD implantation is associated with a significant mortality benefit in patients with CKD.