Blood Transfusion and Outcome After Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic impact of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion on the outcome after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). DESIGN: Nationwide, retrospective multicenter study. SETTING: Five University Hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: The nationwide FinnValve registry included data from 2,130 patients who underwent TAVR for aortic stenosis from 2008 to 2017. After excluding patients who underwent TAVR through nontransfemoral accesses, 1,818 patients were selected for this analysis. INTERVENTION: TAVR with or without coronary revascularization. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: RBCs were transfused in 293 patients (16.1%). Time-trend analysis showed that the rates of RBC transfusion decreased significantly from 27.5% in 2012 to 10.0% in 2017 (p < 0.0001). Among 281 propensity score matched pairs, RBC transfusion was associated with higher 30-day mortality (7.1% v 0%, p < 0.0001), late mortality (at 5-year, 59.1% v 43.3%, p = 0.008), as well as increased risk of acute kidney injury (17.0% v 4.4%, p < 0.0001), renal replacement therapy (3.6% v 0.4, p < 0.0001) and prolonged hospital stay (mean, 8.5 v 4.7 days, p < 0.0001) compared with patients who did not receive blood transfusion. In the overall series, the risk of adverse events increased significantly with the increasing amount of transfused RBC units and when operation for excessive bleeding was necessary. Consistently with these findings, postoperative hemoglobin drop and nadir level were associated with higher early and late mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who received blood transfusion after TAVR had an increased risk of early and late adverse events. These adverse effects were particularly evident with increasing amount of RBC transfusion and operations for excessive bleeding.

Acute Kidney Injury Following Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients Without Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: The data on acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are limited. The study sought to compare the incidence of AKI and its impact on 5-year mortality after TAVR and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients without CKD. METHODS: This registry included data from 6463 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR or SAVR. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. For sensitivity analysis, propensity-score matching between TAVR and SAVR was performed. RESULTS: The study included 4555 consecutive patients (TAVR, n = 1215 and SAVR, n = 3340) without CKD. Propensity-score matching identified 542 pairs. Patients who underwent TAVR had a significantly lower incidence of AKI in comparison to those who underwent SAVR (unmatched 4.7% vs 16.4%, P < 0.001, multivariable analysis: odds ratio, 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.41; matched 5.9% vs 19.0%, P < 0.001). Patients with AKI had significantly increased 5-year mortality compared with those without AKI (unmatched 36.0% vs 19.1%, log-rank P < 0.001; matched 36.3% vs 24.0%, log-rank P < 0.001). The adjusted hazard ratios for 5-year mortality were 1.58 (95% CI, 1.20-2.08) for AKI grade 1, 3.27 (95% CI, 2.09-5.06) for grade 2, and 4.82 (95% CI, 2.93-8.04) for grade 3. CONCLUSIONS: TAVR in patients without CKD was associated with a significantly less frequent incidence of AKI compared with SAVR. AKI significantly increased the risk of 5-year mortality after either TAVR or SAVR, and increasing severity of AKI was incrementally associated with 5-year mortality.

Gastroschisis in Finland 1993 to 2014-Increasing Prevalence, High Rates of Abortion, and Survival: A Population-Based Study.

INTRODUCTION: The study aims to assess the changes in prevalence and mortality of gastroschisis, and to identify associated anomalies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a population-based nationwide study. All gastroschisis cases were identified in the Finnish Register of Congenital Malformations and the Care Register for Health Care from 1993 to 2014 including live births, stillbirths, and terminations of pregnancy due to fetal anomalies. Associated anomalies were recorded, and analyzed, and prevalence and infant mortality were calculated. RESULTS: There were 320 cases of gastroschisis; 235 (73%) live births, 16 (5%) stillbirths, and 69 (22%) terminations of pregnancy. Live birth prevalence of gastroschisis in Finland was lower than generally reported (1.73 in 10,000). However, due to relatively high rates of abortion, our total prevalence of 2.57/10,000 was similar with other reports. The most common risk factor was young maternal age. Babies with gastroschisis were born prematurely, on average on the 36th week and most are delivered by caesarean section. There was a significant increasing trend in live birth prevalence (p = 0.0018). Overall infant mortality was 7.7% (18/235), 7.2% (16/222) in simple gastroschisis and 15% (2/13) in complex gastroschisis. Associated anomalies were rare both in aborted fetuses and neonates, and there was only one case with a chromosomal abnormality. CONCLUSION: Gastroschisis is usually an isolated anomaly with increasing birth prevalence and excellent survival rates. Regardless of the good prognosis, the abortion rates in Finland are higher than previously reported, and we hypothesize this to be due to lack of appropriate antenatal counselling.

Impact of Major Vascular Complication Access Site Status on Mortality After Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement　- Results From the FinnValve Registry.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of anatomical site status and major vascular complication (MVC) severity on the outcome of transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF-TAVR). Methods and Results: The FinnValve registry enrolled consecutive TAVR patients from 2008 to 2017. MVC was divided into 2 groups: non-access site-related MVC (i.e., MVC in aorta, aortic valve annulus or left ventricle); and access site-related MVC (i.e., MVC in iliac or femoral arteries). Severity of access site-related MVC was measured as units of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Of 1,842 patients who underwent TF-TAVR, 174 had MVC (9.4%; non-access site related, n=29; access site related, n=145). Patients with MVC had a significantly higher 3-year mortality than those without MVC (40.8% vs. 24.3%; HR, 2.01; 95% CI: 1.16-3.62). Adjusted 3-year mortality risk was significantly increased in the non-access site-related MVC group (mortality, 77.8%; HR, 4.30; 95% CI: 2.63-7.02), but not in the access site-related MVC group (mortality, 32.6%; HR, 1.38; 95% CI: 0.86-2.15). In the access site-related MVC group, only those with RBC transfusion ≥4 units had a significantly increased 3-year mortality risk (mortality, 51.8%; HR, 2.18; 95% CI: 1.19-3.89). Conclusions: In patients undergoing TF-TAVR, MVC was associated with an increased 3-year mortality risk, incrementally correlating with anatomical site and bleeding severity.