DECLINE OF DEFIBRILLATION TESTING USE IN CLINICAL PRACTICE: AN 8-YEAR NATION-WIDE ASSESSMENT Eraldo Occhetta - Ospedale Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy; Maria Grazia Bongiorni - University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Alessandro Proclemer - Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy; Stefano Favale - Ospedale Consorziale Policlinico, Bari, Italy; Maurizio Gasparini - IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Italy; Francesco Accardi - Boston Scientific, Milan, Italy; Sergio Valsecchi - Boston Scientific, Milan, Italy; Michele Brignole - Ospedali del Tigullio, Lavagna, Italy Purpose: Although defibrillation testing (DT) is a standard procedure, there is ongoing debate as to the need to conduct it at the time of ICD implantation. We assessed the Italian clinical practice of DT during a 8-year time frame. Methods and results: According to a survey performed in 2005 among 229(67%) Italian centers, DT was not performed in 2356(30%) patients who underwent de-novo ICD implantation; DT was performed in<25% of patients in 15% of centers and in>75% of patients in 59% of centers. We repeated the survey in 2013 in 276 centers. DT was not performed in 5163(72%) patients; DT was performed in<25% of patients in 72% of centers and in>75% of patients in 23% of centers. Conclusions: The practice of DT is significantly changed over 8 years in Italy. Most electrophysiologists, in Italy more than elsewhere, spontaneously modified their clinical practice, even in the absence of scientific evidence or clear recommendations. New evidence are warranted to support the scientific community in producing recommendations and the manufacturers in obtaining regulatory approval for revision of the information for use of ICDs.