Two-year mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation versus medical therapy for high-surgical risk or inoperable aortic stenosis patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a therapeutic option for the treatment of high-risk or inoperable patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. The study aim was to compare the two-year mortality of high-risk or inoperable patients treated by TAVI compared to medical therapy, in a single-center setting. METHODS: A total of 135 consecutive patients (58 males, 77 females; mean age 80 +/- 6 years; logistic EuroSCORE 21 +/- 13%) who had undergone TAVI was compared to 135 patients (60 males, 75 females; mean age 79 +/- 3 years; logistic EuroSCORE 21 +/- 19%) who had undergone medical treatment before TAVI became available. The one- and two-year follow up mortalities were recorded for each group. In the TAVI group, the patient characteristics were analyzed for predictors of mortality. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (12%) in the TAVI group and 10 (7%) in the medically treated group died within 30 days of intervention or presentation (p = 0.303). At the one-year follow up, 28 TAVI patients (21%) and 69 medically treated patients (41%) died (p < 0.001). At the two-year follow up, 41 TAVI patients (30%) and 80 medically treated patients (59%) died (p < 0.001). Log-rank analysis demonstrated a significant survival benefit after TAVI compared to medical treatment during the total follow up period. Univariate predictors of death at the two-year follow up included medical therapy, logistic EuroSCORE, and pulmonary hypertension. Medical therapy remained the only independent predictor of two-year mortality in a multivariate analysis (OR 3.343; 95% CI 2.021-6.234, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In high-surgical risk or inoperable symptomatic aortic stenosis patients, the one- and two-year follow up mortalities of patients treated with TAVI was significantly lower than after medical therapy. Predictors of mortality, in addition to treatment strategy, were pulmonary hypertension and EuroSCORE.

Impact of a new conduction defect after transcatheter aortic valve implantation on left ventricular function.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the impact of new conduction defects after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on the evolution of left ventricular (LV) function during 1-year follow-up. BACKGROUND: New left bundle branch block (LBBB) or need for permanent pacing due to atrioventricular (AV) block are frequent after TAVI. METHODS: A total of 90 consecutive patients treated with TAVI and who had 12-month echocardiographic follow-up were included in the study. In 39 patients, a new conduction defect (new LBBB or need for permanent pacemaker activity.) persisted 1 month after TAVI. In 51 patients, no persistent new conduction defect was observed. Two-dimensional echocardiography using parasternal short-axis, apical 4-chamber, and apical 2-chamber views was performed before TAVI and at 1-year follow-up to determine LV volumes and ejection fraction based on Simpson's rule. Speckle-tracking echocardiography was applied using standard LV short-axis images to assess the effect of new conduction defects on time-to-peak radial strain of different LV segments as a parameter of LV dyssynchrony. RESULTS: New conduction defects resulted in marked heterogeneity in time-to-peak strain between the 6 analyzed short-axis segments. During 1-year follow-up after TAVI, there was a significant increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients without new LBBB (53 ± 11% pre TAVI to 59 ± 10% at follow-up; p < 0.001), whereas there was no change in LVEF in patients with a new conduction defect (52 ± 11% pre TAVI to 51 ± 12% at follow-up, p = 0.740). Change in LV end-systolic volume was also significantly different between patient groups (-1.0 ± 14.2 vs. -11.2 ± 15.7 ml, p = 0.042). New conduction defect and LVEF at baseline were independent predictors of reduced LVEF at 12-month follow-up after TAVI. CONCLUSIONS: LVEF improves after TAVI for treatment of severe aortic stenosis in patients without new conduction defects. In patients with a new conduction defect after TAVI, there is no improvement in LVEF at follow-up.