Catheter Ablation of Frequent PVCs in Structural Heart Disease: Impact on Left Ventricular Function and Clinical Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with structural heart disease (SHD), including increased risk of mortality and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). While radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of idiopathic PVCs is well established, its role in patients with SHD remains less clear. Objective: To review the evidence on the efficacy of RFA for PVC suppression in patients with SHD, specifically evaluating its impact on LVEF and clinical outcomes. Methods: A review of the literature was conducted using PubMed and the Cochrane Library, focusing on studies published after 2010 that included adult patients with SHD and a PVC burden >4% on 24 h Holter monitoring. Studies including patients with presumed PVC-induced cardiomyopathy without underlying SHD were excluded. Key outcomes were LVEF recovery, functional status, and procedural success rates. Results: In ischemic cardiomyopathy, RFA reduced PVC burden significantly and resulted in modest but significant LVEF improvement. In non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, successful ablation improved LVEF by 8-12% on average and enhanced NYHA class. Across mixed cohorts, patients with sustained PVC suppression showed significant improvements in LVEF, functional status, which, in many cases, removed the indication for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. Notably, procedural success rates ranged from 60 to 94%, and the high baseline PVC burden (>13-20%) consistently predicted LVEF recovery regardless of SHD etiology. Conclusions: RFA of frequent PVCs in patients with SHD leads to meaningful improvements in systolic function and symptoms, particularly in those with high PVC burden. These benefits are seen across ischemic and non-ischemic substrates, although procedural complexity and recurrence rates may be higher. PVC burden, rather than SHD presence alone, should guide patient selection for ablation.

Keywords: ablation; ischemic cardiomyopathy; non-ischemic cardiomyopathy; premature ventricular contraction; structural heart disease.

Figure 1

This is a central illustration summarizing the effects of catheter ablation of frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in structural heart disease (SHD). Successful ablation improves left ventricular ejection fraction and clinical outcomes, particularly in patients with high PVC burden (>13–20%), regardless of underlying SHD etiology.