van Stipdonk AMW, et al. - In this retrospective multicenter study, researchers evaluated a large cohort of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) patients (n=1,492), followed-up for a mean duration of 3.4 years, to compare the value of QRS area vs QRS duration and morphology in the association with clinical and echocardiographic outcomes. For this purpose, they assessed left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology, QRS duration, and QRS area in the baseline 12-lead ECG. They focused on the occurrence of the combined primary end point of all-cause mortality, cardiac transplantation, and left ventricular assist device implantation. Furthermore, heart failure hospitalization within the first year after implantation and echocardiographic reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume were also evaluated as secondary end points. Primary end point was achieved by 32% of patients. Findings revealed a robust association of QRS area to clinical and echocardiographic response to CRT; this link was noted to be at least as strong as current patient selection parameters. The authors noted that QRS area in particular has utility as a predictor of CRT response in patients without a wide LBBB.