Risk and Protective Factors for Sudden Cardiac Death: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses

Dimitrios Tsartsalis; Dafni Korela; Lars O Karlsson; Emmanouil Foukarakis; Anneli Svensson; Aris Anastasakis; Dimitrios Venetsanos; Constantina Aggeli; Costas Tsioufis; Frieder Braunschweig; Elena Dragioti; Emmanouil Charitakis

doi:10.3389/fcvm.2022.848021

Risk and Protective Factors for Sudden Cardiac Death: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses

Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Jun 16:9:848021. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.848021. eCollection 2022.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, "Hippokration" Hospital, Athens, Greece.
² First Department of Cardiology, "Hippokration" Hospital, University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
³ Department of Cardiology, Venizeleio General Hospital, Heraklion, Greece.
⁴ Department of Cardiology and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.
⁶ Department of Cardiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁷ Pain and Rehabilitation Centre and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.

Abstract

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a global public health issue, accounting for 10-20% of deaths in industrialized countries. Identification of modifiable risk factors may reduce SCD incidence.

Methods: This umbrella review systematically evaluates published meta-analyses of observational and randomized controlled trials (RCT) for the association of modifiable risk and protective factors of SCD.

Results: Fifty-five meta-analyses were included in the final analysis, of which 31 analyzed observational studies and 24 analyzed RCTs. Five associations of meta-analyses of observational studies presented convincing evidence, including three risk factors [diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, and early repolarization pattern (ERP)] and two protective factors [implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD) and physical activity]. Meta-analyses of RCTs identified five protective factors with a high level of evidence: ICDs, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA), beta-blockers, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors in patients with HF. On the contrary, other established, significant protective agents [i.e., amiodarone and statins along with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in heart failure (HF)], did not show credibility. Likewise, risk factors as left ventricular ejection fraction in HF, and left ventricular hypertrophy, non-sustain ventricular tachycardia, history of syncope or aborted SCD in pediatric patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, presented weak or no evidence.

Conclusions: Lifestyle risk factors (physical activity, smoking), comorbidities like DM, and electrocardiographic features like ERP constitute modifiable risk factors of SCD. Alternatively, the use of MRA, beta-blockers, SGLT-2 inhibitors, and ICD in patients with HF are credible protective factors. Further investigation targeted in specific populations will be important for reducing the burden of SCD.

Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020216363, PROSPERO CRD42020216363.

Keywords: epidemiology; meta-analysis; protective factors; risk factors; sudden cardiac death; umbrella review.

Publication types

Systematic Review