Balloon aortic valvuloplasty with or without percutaneous coronary intervention in the TAVR era.

Introduction The role of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) amid the era of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains a topic of debate. We sought to study the safety and feasibility of combined balloon aortic valvuloplasty and percutaneous coronary intervention (BAV-PCI). Methods Between November 2009 and July 2020, all patients undergoing BAV were identified and divided into three groups: combined BAV-PCI (group A), BAV with significant unrevascularised CAD (group B) and BAV without significant CAD (group C). Procedural outcomes, 30-day and one-year mortality were compared. Results A total of 264 patients were studied (n = 84, 93 and 87 patients in group A, B and C, respectively). The STS score was 10.2 ±8, 13.3 ±19 and 8.1 ±7, p = 0.026, in group A, B and C, respectively. VARC-3 adjudicated complications were similar among groups (11%, 13% and 5%, respectively, p = 0.168, respectively). Thirty-day and one-year mortality were 9.8% (n =26) and 32% (n = 86) of the entire cohort. The differences among groups did not reach statistical significance. Using univariate Cox regression analysis, group B were at higher risk of dying compared to group A patients (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.11 - 2.25, p = 0.010). With multivariate Cox regression analysis, the predictors of mortality were STS score, cardiogenic shock, and mode of presentation and lack of subsequent definitive valve intervention. Conclusion In high-risk patients with aortic valve stenosis, combined BAV-PCI is safe and feasible with comparable outcomes to BAV with and without significant CAD.

Causes of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular death in the ISCHEMIA trial.

BACKGROUND: The International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches trial demonstrated no overall difference in the composite primary endpoint and the secondary endpoints of cardiovascular (CV) death/myocardial infarction or all-cause mortality between an initial invasive or conservative strategy among participants with chronic coronary disease and moderate or severe myocardial ischemia. Detailed cause-specific death analyses have not been reported. METHODS: We compared overall and cause-specific death rates by treatment group using Cox models with adjustment for pre-specified baseline covariates. Cause of death was adjudicated by an independent Clinical Events Committee as CV, non-CV, and undetermined. We evaluated the association of risk factors and treatment strategy with cause of death. RESULTS: Four-year cumulative incidence rates for CV death were similar between invasive and conservative strategies (2.6% vs 3.0%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.98; 95% CI [0.70-1.38]), but non-CV death rates were higher in the invasive strategy (3.3% vs 2.1%; HR 1.45 [1.00-2.09]). Overall, 13% of deaths were attributed to undetermined causes (38/289). Fewer undetermined deaths (0.6% vs 1.3%; HR 0.48 [0.24-0.95]) and more malignancy deaths (2.0% vs 0.8%; HR 2.11 [1.23-3.60]) occurred in the invasive strategy than in the conservative strategy. CONCLUSIONS: In International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches, all-cause and CV death rates were similar between treatment strategies. The observation of fewer undetermined deaths and more malignancy deaths in the invasive strategy remains unexplained. These findings should be interpreted with caution in the context of prior studies and the overall trial results.

Effect of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation vs Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement on All-Cause Mortality in Patients With Aortic Stenosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a less invasive alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement and is the treatment of choice for patients at high operative risk. The role of TAVI in patients at lower risk is unclear. Objective: To determine whether TAVI is noninferior to surgery in patients at moderately increased operative risk. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this randomized clinical trial conducted at 34 UK centers, 913 patients aged 70 years or older with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis and moderately increased operative risk due to age or comorbidity were enrolled between April 2014 and April 2018 and followed up through April 2019. Interventions: TAVI using any valve with a CE mark (indicating conformity of the valve with all legal and safety requirements for sale throughout the European Economic Area) and any access route (n = 458) or surgical aortic valve replacement (surgery; n = 455). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 1 year. The primary hypothesis was that TAVI was noninferior to surgery, with a noninferiority margin of 5% for the upper limit of the 1-sided 97.5% CI for the absolute between-group difference in mortality. There were 36 secondary outcomes (30 reported herein), including duration of hospital stay, major bleeding events, vascular complications, conduction disturbance requiring pacemaker implantation, and aortic regurgitation. Results: Among 913 patients randomized (median age, 81 years [IQR, 78 to 84 years]; 424 [46%] were female; median Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality risk score, 2.6% [IQR, 2.0% to 3.4%]), 912 (99.9%) completed follow-up and were included in the noninferiority analysis. At 1 year, there were 21 deaths (4.6%) in the TAVI group and 30 deaths (6.6%) in the surgery group, with an adjusted absolute risk difference of -2.0% (1-sided 97.5% CI, -∞ to 1.2%; P < .001 for noninferiority). Of 30 prespecified secondary outcomes reported herein, 24 showed no significant difference at 1 year. TAVI was associated with significantly shorter postprocedural hospitalization (median of 3 days [IQR, 2 to 5 days] vs 8 days [IQR, 6 to 13 days] in the surgery group). At 1 year, there were significantly fewer major bleeding events after TAVI compared with surgery (7.2% vs 20.2%, respectively; adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.33 [95% CI, 0.24 to 0.45]) but significantly more vascular complications (10.3% vs 2.4%; adjusted HR, 4.42 [95% CI, 2.54 to 7.71]), conduction disturbances requiring pacemaker implantation (14.2% vs 7.3%; adjusted HR, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.43 to 2.94]), and mild (38.3% vs 11.7%) or moderate (2.3% vs 0.6%) aortic regurgitation (adjusted odds ratio for mild, moderate, or severe [no instance of severe reported] aortic regurgitation combined vs none, 4.89 [95% CI, 3.08 to 7.75]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients aged 70 years or older with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis and moderately increased operative risk, TAVI was noninferior to surgery with respect to all-cause mortality at 1 year. Trial Registration: isrctn.com Identifier: ISRCTN57819173.

Initial Invasive Versus Conservative Management of Stable Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients With a History of Heart Failure or Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Insights From the ISCHEMIA Trial.

BACKGROUND: Whether an initial invasive strategy in patients with stable ischemic heart disease and at least moderate ischemia improves outcomes in the setting of a history of heart failure (HF) or left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) when ejection fraction is ≥35% but <45% is unknown. METHODS: Among 5179 participants randomized into ISCHEMIA (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness With Medical and Invasive Approaches), all of whom had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥35%, we compared cardiovascular outcomes by treatment strategy in participants with a history of HF/LVD at baseline versus those without HF/LVD. Median follow-up was 3.2 years. RESULTS: There were 398 (7.7%) participants with HF/LVD at baseline, of whom 177 had HF/LVEF >45%, 28 HF/LVEF 35% to 45%, and 193 LVEF 35% to 45% but no history of HF. HF/LVD was associated with more comorbidities at baseline, particularly previous myocardial infarction, stroke, and hypertension. Compared with patients without HF/LVD, participants with HF/LVD were more likely to experience a primary outcome composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or hospitalization for unstable angina, HF, or resuscitated cardiac arrest (4-year cumulative incidence rate, 22.7% versus 13.8%; cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction, 19.7% versus 12.3%; and all-cause death or HF, 15.0% versus 6.9%). Participants with HF/LVD randomized to the invasive versus conservative strategy had a lower rate of the primary outcome (17.2% versus 29.3%; difference in 4-year event rate, -12.1% [95% CI, -22.6 to -1.6%]), whereas those without HF/LVD did not (13.0% versus 14.6%; difference in 4-year event rate, -1.6% [95% CI, -3.8% to 0.7%]; P interaction = 0.055). A similar differential effect was seen for the primary outcome, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality when invasive versus conservative strategy-associated outcomes were analyzed with LVEF as a continuous variable for patients with and without previous HF. CONCLUSIONS: ISCHEMIA participants with stable ischemic heart disease and at least moderate ischemia with a history of HF or LVD were at increased risk for the primary outcome. In the small, high-risk subgroup with HF and LVEF 35% to 45%, an initial invasive approach was associated with better event-free survival. This result should be considered hypothesis-generating. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01471522.

COVID-19 pandemic and admission rates for and management of acute coronary syndromes in England.

BACKGROUND: Several countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have reported a substantial drop in the number of patients attending the emergency department with acute coronary syndromes and a reduced number of cardiac procedures. We aimed to understand the scale, nature, and duration of changes to admissions for different types of acute coronary syndrome in England and to evaluate whether in-hospital management of patients has been affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We analysed data on hospital admissions in England for types of acute coronary syndrome from Jan 1, 2019, to May 24, 2020, that were recorded in the Secondary Uses Service Admitted Patient Care database. Admissions were classified as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-STEMI (NSTEMI), myocardial infarction of unknown type, or other acute coronary syndromes (including unstable angina). We identified revascularisation procedures undertaken during these admissions (ie, coronary angiography without percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI], PCI, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery). We calculated the numbers of weekly admissions and procedures undertaken; percentage reductions in weekly admissions and across subgroups were also calculated, with 95% CIs. FINDINGS: Hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome declined from mid-February, 2020, falling from a 2019 baseline rate of 3017 admissions per week to 1813 per week by the end of March, 2020, a reduction of 40% (95% CI 37-43). This decline was partly reversed during April and May, 2020, such that by the last week of May, 2020, there were 2522 admissions, representing a 16% (95% CI 13-20) reduction from baseline. During the period of declining admissions, there were reductions in the numbers of admissions for all types of acute coronary syndrome, including both STEMI and NSTEMI, but relative and absolute reductions were larger for NSTEMI, with 1267 admissions per week in 2019 and 733 per week by the end of March, 2020, a percent reduction of 42% (95% CI 38-46). In parallel, reductions were recorded in the number of PCI procedures for patients with both STEMI (438 PCI procedures per week in 2019 vs 346 by the end of March, 2020; percent reduction 21%, 95% CI 12-29) and NSTEMI (383 PCI procedures per week in 2019 vs 240 by the end of March, 2020; percent reduction 37%, 29-45). The median length of stay among patients with acute coronary syndrome fell from 4 days (IQR 2-9) in 2019 to 3 days (1-5) by the end of March, 2020. INTERPRETATION: Compared with the weekly average in 2019, there was a substantial reduction in the weekly numbers of patients with acute coronary syndrome who were admitted to hospital in England by the end of March, 2020, which had been partly reversed by the end of May, 2020. The reduced number of admissions during this period is likely to have resulted in increases in out-of-hospital deaths and long-term complications of myocardial infarction and missed opportunities to offer secondary prevention treatment for patients with coronary heart disease. The full extent of the effect of COVID-19 on the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome will continue to be assessed by updating these analyses. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation, Public Health England, Health Data Research UK, and the National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.

Outcomes of COVID-19-positive acute coronary syndrome patients: A multisource electronic healthcare records study from England.

BACKGROUND: Patients with underlying cardiovascular disease and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to characterize the presenting profile and outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and COVID-19 infection. METHODS: This observational cohort study was conducted using multisource data from all acute NHS hospitals in England. All consecutive patients hospitalized with diagnosis of ACS with or without COVID-19 infection between 1 March and 31 May 2020 were included. The primary outcome was in-hospital and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 12 958 patients were hospitalized with ACS during the study period, of which 517 (4.0%) were COVID-19-positive and were more likely to present with non-ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction. The COVID-19 ACS group were generally older, Black Asian and Minority ethnicity, more comorbid and had unfavourable presenting clinical characteristics such as elevated cardiac troponin, pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic shock and poor left ventricular systolic function compared with the non-COVID-19 ACS group. They were less likely to receive an invasive coronary angiography (67.7% vs 81.0%), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (30.2% vs 53.9%) and dual antiplatelet medication (76.3% vs 88.0%). After adjusting for all the baseline differences, patients with COVID-19 ACS had higher in-hospital (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.27; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.41-4.42) and 30-day mortality (aOR: 6.53; 95% CI: 5.1-8.36) compared to patients with the non-COVID-19 ACS. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 infection was present in 4% of patients hospitalized with an ACS in England and is associated with lower rates of guideline-recommended treatment and significant mortality hazard.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in cancer patients: a report of the prevalence and outcomes in the United States.

AIMS: This study aims to examine the temporal trends and outcomes in patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a previous or current diagnosis of cancer, according to cancer type and the presence of metastases. METHODS AND RESULTS: Individuals undergoing PCI between 2004 and 2014 in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample were included in the study. Multivariable analyses were used to determine the association between cancer diagnosis and in-hospital mortality and complications. 6 571 034 PCI procedures were included and current and previous cancer rates were 1.8% and 5.8%, respectively. Both rates increased over time and the four most common cancers were prostate, breast, colon, and lung cancer. Patients with a current lung cancer had greater in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) 2.81, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.37-3.34) and any in-hospital complication (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.36), while current colon cancer was associated with any complication (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.90-2.48) and bleeding (OR 3.65, 95% CI 3.07-4.35) but not mortality (OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.99-1.95). A current diagnosis of breast was not significantly associated with either in-hospital mortality or any of the complications studied and prostate cancer was only associated with increased risk of bleeding (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.20-1.65). A historical diagnosis of lung cancer was independently associated with an increased OR of in-hospital mortality (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.32-2.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cancer among patients receiving PCI is common and the prognostic impact of cancer is specific both for the type of cancer, presence of metastases and whether the diagnosis is historical or current. Treatment of patients with a cancer diagnosis should be individualized and involve a close collaboration between cardiologists and oncologists.

Operator volume is not associated with mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society registry.

Aims: The relationship between operator volume and outcomes for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been studied in the past, but recent analyses of national data covering the modern radial, acute coronary syndrome-dominant era are limited. Changing in case-mix, practice, and service provision mean that previously described volume-outcome relationships may no longer be relevant, and a reassessment in contemporary practice is needed. We aim to assess whether operator volume is associated with independently reported 30-day mortality in a contemporary PCI cohort. Methods and results: This observational cohort study analysed procedures recorded in the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society PCI database from 2013 to 2014 in England and Wales. Mixed effects multiple logistic regression modelling was used to account for operator and centre level effects and to adjust for potential confounders. Volume is defined as the total number of procedures the operator was responsible for in the previous 12 months. A total of 133 970 procedures were analysed. Median volume across all procedures was 178 per year (interquartile range 128-239). The 30-day mortality rate was 2.6%. After adjustment for case-mix, the association between volume and mortality was negligible (odds ratio per 100 procedures 0.99, 95% confidence interval 0.93-1.05; P = 0.725). Sensitivity analyses showed similar results amongst high-risk PCI subsets and in-hospital outcomes. Conclusion: There is no evidence that mortality differs by operator volume in the UK. Volume-outcome relationships in PCI should be carefully monitored in response to future changes in practice.

Transradial Secondary Access to Guide Valve Implantation and Manage Peripheral Vascular Complications During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BACKGROUND: Vascular complications from transfemoral (TF) secondary access during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are common. We compare our experience of transradial (TR) versus transfemoral secondary access during TAVI and describe techniques for performing iliofemoral arterial intervention from the transradial approach. METHODS: All TAVI procedures with a single secondary access were included. Demographics, procedural details and 30-day outcomes were recorded. VARC-2 criteria were used for procedural complications. Procedures with TF primary access were stratified by the site of secondary arterial access. RESULTS: Single secondary access was used in 199 cases, of which 20 were performed via non-TF access. Of the 179 TF primary access cases, 115 (64%) used TR secondary access and 64 (36%) used TF secondary access. In the TR cohort percutaneous vascular intervention was performed from the transradial approach in 19 cases (17%). Emergent TF secondary access was not required in any case. There were no differences in procedural time, radiation dose, contrast use, bleeding complications, stroke or mortality between the groups. There was one secondary access complication in the TF cohort and none in the TR cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Transradial (TR) secondary access during TAVI is safe and feasible and may reduce the secondary access site vascular complication rate. With appropriate equipment, most peripheral vascular complications can be managed entirely via TR access avoiding unplanned femoral arterial access. TR secondary access should be considered the default approach for non-TF TAVI cases and can be considered for all TF cases as long as dedicated equipment is available.

Antiplatelet drug selection in PCI to vein grafts in patients with acute coronary syndrome and adverse clinical outcomes: Insights from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society database.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate outcomes associated with different P2Y12 agents in Saphenous Vein graft (SVG) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: SVG PCI is associated with greater risks of ischemic complications, compared with native coronary PCI. Outcomes associated with the use of potent P2Y12 blocking drugs, Prasugrel and Ticagrelor, in SVG PCI are unknown. METHODS: Patients included in the study underwent SVG PCI in the United Kingdom between 2007 and 2014 for acute coronary syndrome and were grouped by P2Y12 antiplatelet use. In-hospital major adverse cardiac events, major bleeding and 30-day and 1-year mortality were examined. Multiple imputations with chained equations to impute missing data were used. Adjustment for baseline imbalances was performed using (1) multiple logistic regression (MLR) and (separately) (2) propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: Data weres analyzed from 8,119 patients and most cases were treated with Clopidogrel (n = 7,401), followed by Ticagrelor (n = 497) and Prasugrel (n = 221). In both MLR and PSM models, there was no significant evidence to suggest that either Prasugrel or Ticagrelor was associated with significantly lower 30-day mortality compared with Clopidogrel. The odds ratios reported from the multivariable analysis were 1.22 (95% CI: 0.60-2.51) for Prasugrel vs. Clopidogrel and 0.48 (95% CI: 0.20-1.16) for Ticagrelor vs. Clopidogrel. No significant differences were seen for in-hospital ischemic or bleeding events. CONCLUSIONS: Our real world national study provides no clear evidence to indicate that use of potent P2Y12 blockers in SVG PCI is associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Changes in Arterial Access Site and Association With Mortality in the United Kingdom: Observations From a National Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Database.

BACKGROUND: The transradial access (TRA) site has become the default access site for percutaneous coronary intervention in the United Kingdom, with randomized trials and national registry data showing reductions in mortality associated with TRA use. This study evaluates regional changes in access site practice in England and Wales over time, examines whether changes in access site practice have been uniform nationally and across different patient subgroups, and provides national estimates for the potential number of lives saved or lost associated with regional differences in access site practice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society database, we investigated outcomes for growth of TRA in different regions in England and Wales in 448 853 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention from 2005 to 2012. Multiple logistic regression was used to quantify the effect of TRA on 30-day mortality and quantify lives saved and lost by differences in TRA adoption. TRA use increased from 14.0% to 58.6% in 417 038 PCI patients with large variations in different parts of the country. TRA was independently associated with a decreased risk of 30-day mortality (odds ratio=0.70; 95% confidence interval=0.66-0.74), with significant but small differences observed across different regions. The number of estimated lives saved was 450 (95% confidence interval=275-650), and we estimate that an additional 264 (95% confidence interval=153-399) lives would have been saved if TRA adoption were uniform nationally. CONCLUSIONS: TRA has become the dominant percutaneous coronary intervention approach in the United Kingdom, with a wide variation in different parts of the country. Changes in practice have contributed to mortality reductions, and inequalities have resulted in missed opportunities for further improvements.

Inadequacy of existing clinical prediction models for predicting mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND: The performance of emerging transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) clinical prediction models (CPMs) in national TAVI cohorts distinct from those where they have been derived is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the performance of the German Aortic Valve, FRANCE-2, OBSERVANT and American College of Cardiology (ACC) TAVI CPMs compared with the performance of historic cardiac CPMs such as the EuroSCORE and STS-PROM, in a large national TAVI registry. METHODS: The calibration and discrimination of each CPM were analyzed in 6676 patients from the UK TAVI registry, as a whole cohort and across several subgroups. Strata included gender, diabetes status, access route, and valve type. Furthermore, the amount of agreement in risk classification between each of the considered CPMs was analyzed at an individual patient level. RESULTS: The observed 30-day mortality rate was 5.4%. In the whole cohort, the majority of CPMs over-estimated the risk of 30-day mortality, although the mean ACC score (5.2%) approximately matched the observed mortality rate. The areas under ROC curve were between 0.57 for OBSERVANT and 0.64 for ACC. Risk classification agreement was low across all models, with Fleiss's kappa values between 0.17 and 0.50. CONCLUSIONS: Although the FRANCE-2 and ACC models outperformed all other CPMs, the performance of current TAVI-CPMs was low when applied to an independent cohort of TAVI patients. Hence, TAVI specific CPMs need to be derived outside populations previously used for model derivation, either by adapting existing CPMs or developing new risk scores in large national registries.

Bivalirudin, glycoprotein inhibitor, and heparin use and association with outcomes of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the United Kingdom.

AIMS: The HORIZONS trial reported a survival advantage for bivalirudin over heparin-with-glycoprotein inhibitors (GPIs) in primary PCI for ST elevation myocardial infarction. This drove an international shift in clinical practice. Subsequent studies have produced divergent findings on mortality benefits with bivalirudin. We investigated this issue in a larger population than studied in any of these trials, using the United Kingdom national PCI registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: 61 136 primary PCI procedures were performed between January 2008 and January 2012. Demographic and procedural data were obtained from the registry. Mortality information was obtained through the UK Office of National Statistics. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity analysis modelling were utilized to study the association of different anti-thrombotic strategies with outcomes. Unadjusted data demonstrated near-identical survival curves for bivalirudin and heparin-plus-GPI groups. Significantly higher early and late mortality was found in patients treated with heparin alone ( ITALIC! P < 0.0001) but this group had a markedly higher baseline risk. After propensity matching, the bivalirudin vs. heparin-plus-GPI groups still demonstrated very similar adjusted mortality (odds ratio 1.00 at 30 days, and 0.96 at 1 year). Patients treated with heparin alone continued to show higher mortality after adjustment, although effect size was considerably diminished (odds ratio vs. other groups 1.17-1.24 at 30 days). CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of recent UK data showed no significant difference in short- or medium-term mortality between ST elevation myocardial infarction patients treated with bivalirudin vs. heparin-plus-GPI at primary PCI.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in the United Kingdom: temporal trends, predictors of outcome, and 6-year follow-up: a report from the UK Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Registry, 2007 to 2012.

BACKGROUND: We assessed trends in the performance of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in the United Kingdom from the first case in 2007 to the end of 2012. We analyzed changes in case mix, complications, outcomes to 6 years, and predictors of mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: Annual cohorts were examined. Mortality outcomes were analyzed in the 92% of patients from England and Wales for whom independent mortality tracking was available. A total of 3980 transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures were performed. In successive years, there was an increase in frequency of impaired left ventricular function, but there was no change in Logistic EuroSCORE. Overall 30-day mortality was 6.3%; it was highest in the first cohort (2007-2008), after which there were no further significant changes. One-year survival was 81.7%, falling to 37.3% at 6 years. Discharge by day 5 rose from 16.7% in 2007 and 2008 to 28% in 2012. The only multivariate preprocedural predictor of 30-day mortality was Logistic EuroSCORE ≥40. During long-term follow-up, multivariate predictors of mortality were preprocedural atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, creatinine >200 µmol/L, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease. The strongest independent procedural predictor of long-term mortality was periprocedural stroke (hazard ratio=3.00; P<0.0001). Nonfemoral access and postprocedural aortic regurgitation were also significant predictors of adverse outcome. CONCLUSIONS: We analyzed transcatheter aortic valve implantation in an entire country, with follow-up over 6 years. Although clinical profiles of enrolled patients remained unchanged, longer-term outcomes improved, and patients were discharged earlier. Periprocedural stroke, nonfemoral access, and postprocedural aortic regurgitation are predictors of adverse outcome, along with intrinsic patient risk factors.

Determinants and Outcomes of Stroke Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention by Indication.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a serious complication, but its determinants and outcomes after PCI in different clinical settings are poorly documented. METHODS: The British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) database was used to study 560 439 patients who underwent PCI in England and Wales between 2006 and 2013. We examined procedural-type specific determinants of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and the likelihood of subsequent 30-day mortality and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (a composite of in-hospital mortality, myocardial infarction or reinfarction, and repeat revascularization). RESULTS: A total of 705 stroke cases were recorded (80% ischemic). Stroke after an elective PCI or PCI for acute coronary syndrome indications was associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes compared with those without stroke; 30-day mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events outcomes in fully adjusted model were odds ratios 37.90 (21.43-67.05) and 21.05 (13.25-33.44) for elective and 5.00 (3.96-6.31) and 6.25 (5.03-7.77) for acute coronary syndrome, respectively. Comparison of odds of these outcomes between these 2 settings showed no differences; corresponding odds ratios were 1.24 (0.64-2.43) and 0.63 (0.35-1.15), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke complications are uncommon, but serious complications can occur after PCI and are independently associated with worse mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events outcomes in both the elective and acute coronary syndrome setting irrespective of stroke type. Our study provides a better understanding of the risk factors and prognosis of stroke after PCI by procedure type, allowing physicians to provide more informed advice around stroke risk after PCI and counsel patients and their families around outcomes if such neurological complications occur.

Direct transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation without balloon pre-dilatation using the Edwards Sapien XT valve.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of direct transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) by the transfemoral approach without balloon pre-dilatation using the Edwards SapienXT valve. BACKGROUND: TAVI is established in selected high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) is recommended prior to valve implantation, but may contribute to procedural risk. It is unknown whether this is necessary for successful passage and deployment of the device. METHODS: 81 patients (mean age 84 [95%CI:82-85.8], 62% male, median EuroScore 22.8% [95%CI:20.5-27]) undergoing transfemoral TAVI (35 by direct implantation [direct group]; 46 with balloon pre-dilatation [balloon group]) between 2010 and 2013 were analyzed for efficacy and safety endpoints. RESULTS: Procedural success was 100%. Pre and post-procedural peak gradients in the direct group were 66mmHg (95%CI:59-72.8) and 14mmHg (95%CI:12-17.8)(P < 0.0001) compared to 76.5mmHg (95%CI:73.7-94.0) and 17mmHg (95%CI:16-19)(P < 0.0001) in the balloon group. Post-dilatation was performed in 4/35(11.4%) of the direct group and 3/46(6.5%) of the balloon group (P = 0.83). Post procedure moderate AR was present in 1/35(2.9%) in the direct group and none in the balloon group. In-hospital mortality (2.9% direct vs. 0% balloon group), stroke (2.9% vs. 4.4%), tamponade (2.9% vs. 2.2%), major vascular complications (2.9% vs. 8.7%) and new permanent pacing (2.2% vs. 0) were similar. Pacing time, inflations, radiation dose and contrast use were all significantly lower in the direct group. CONCLUSIONS: Direct implantation of the Edwards SapienXT valve during TAVI by the transfemoral route appears safe, efficacious and feasible in those without extreme calcification. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stroke following percutaneous coronary intervention: type-specific incidence, outcomes and determinants seen by the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society 2007-12.

AIMS: This study aims to evaluate temporal changes in stroke complications and their association with mortality and MACE outcomes in a national cohort of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in England and Wales. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 426 046 patients who underwent PCI in England and Wales between 2007 and 2012 in the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) database were analysed. Statistical analyses were performed evaluating the rates of stroke complications according to the year of PCI and multiple logistic regressions were used to evaluate the odds of 30-day mortality and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; a composite of in-hospital mortality, myocardial infarction or re-infarction, and revascularization) with stroke complications. Four hundred and thirty-six patients (0.1%) sustained an ischaemic stroke/TIA complication and 107 patients (0.03%) sustained a haemorrhagic stroke complication. Ischaemic stroke/TIA complications increased non-linearly from 0.67 (95% CI 0.47-0.87) to 1.14 (0.94-1.34) per 1000 patients between 2007 and 2012 (P = 0.006), whilst haemorrhagic stroke rates decreased non-linearly from 0.29 (0.19-0.39) to 0.15 (0.05-0.25) per 1000 patients in 2012 (P = 0.009). Following adjustment for baseline clinical and procedural demographics, ischaemic stroke was independently associated with both 30-day mortality (OR 4.92, 3.06-7.92) and in-hospital MACE (OR 3.11, 1.83-5.27). An even greater impact on prognosis was observed with haemorrhagic complications (30-day mortality: OR 13.87, 6.37-30.21), in-hospital MACE (OR 13.50, 6.30-28.92). CONCLUSIONS: Incident ischaemic stroke complications have increased over time, whilst haemorrhagic stroke complications have decreased, driven through changes in clinical, procedural, drug-treatment, and demographic factors. Both ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes are rare but devastating complications with high 30-day mortality and in-hospital MACE rates.

Effect of access site, gender, and indication on clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS).

BACKGROUND: Gender is a strong predictor of periprocedural major bleeding complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The access site represents an important site of such bleeding complications, which has driven adoption of the transradial access (TRA) use during PCI, although female gender is an independent predictor of transradial PCI failure. This study sought to define gender differences in access site practice and study associations between access site choice and clinical outcomes for PCI over a 6-year period, through the analysis of the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society observational database. METHODS AND RESULTS: In-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (a composite of in-hospital mortality and in-hospital myocardial reinfarction and target vessel revascularization), in-hospital bleeding complications, and 30-day mortality were studied based on gender and access site choice (transfemoral access, TRA) in 412,122 patients who underwent PCI between 2007 and 2012 in the United Kingdom. Use of TRA increased in both genders over time, although this lagged behind in women (21% in 2007 to 58% in 2012) compared with men (24% in 2007 to 64% in 2012). In both men and women, TRA was independently associated with a lower in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular event (odds ratio [OR] 0.82, 95% CI 0.76-0.90; OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.66-0.84), in-hospital major bleeding (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.44-0.66; OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.20-0.33), and 30-day mortality (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.73-0.89; OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71-0.94), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Where possible, TRA should be considered as the preferred access site choice for PCI, particularly in women in whom the greatest reductions bleeding end points were observed across all indications.

Impact of age on the prognostic value of left ventricular function in relation to procedural outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society.

BACKGROUND: Around one third of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Whilst the prevalence of LV dysfunction is known to increase with age, the prevalence of LV dysfunction in different age groups in the PCI setting is not known and the effect of age on the prognostic value of LV function in the PCI setting has not been examined. METHODS: The relationship between LV function and 30-day mortality in patients undergoing PCI in different age groups (<60 years, 60 to <70 years, 70 to <80 years and ≥80 years) was studied in 246,840 patients in the UK between 2006 and 2011. RESULTS: Prevalent LV dysfunction in patients undergoing PCI increased with age; 25,106/83,161 (30.2%: <60 years), 24,114/76,895 (31.4%: 60 to <70 years), 23,580/64,711 36.4% (70 to <80 years) and 9,851/22,073 (44.6%) in patients aged 80 or over (P < 0.0001). Poor LV function was independently associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality outcomes in all age groups (OR 5.65:95% CI 4.21-7.58, age <60 years; OR 5.07: 95% CI 3.91-6.57, age 60 to <70 years; OR 4.50: 95% CI 3.64-5.57, 70 to <80 years and OR 4.83:95% CI 3.79-6.15, age ≥80 years). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis suggests that worsening LV function is an important independent predictor of worse 30-day mortality outcomes across all age groups and underscores the need for a measure of LV function in all patients for accurate risk stratification prior to PCI.

Impact of age on access site-related outcomes in 469,983 percutaneous coronary intervention procedures: Insights from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society.

We investigate adoption of the TRA in different age groups and study the relationship between age and access site related outcomes in a national cohort of patients undergoing PCI in the UK. Previous studies have reported conflicting data on radial access site adoption between different age groups, with age an independent predictor of failure of procedures undertaken through the radial approach. Age and access site related outcomes (based on transradial (TRA) and transfemoral (TFA) access) were studied in 469,983 PCI procedures undertaken in the UK from 2006 to 2012 in the age groups; <60, 60-<70, 70-<80, and ≥80 in the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society database. We studied access site practice in 469,983 patients who underwent PCI procedures in the United Kingdom. TRA utilization increased from 17.5% to 65.6% in the age group <60, and 16.6% to 54.5% in the age group ≥80 between 2006 and 2012. TRA was independently associated with decreased 30-day mortality in all age groups (<60: OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.54-0.74, P < 0.0001; 60-<70: OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.57-75, P < 0.0001, 70-<80: OR 0.58 (0.52-0.65, P < 0.0001 and ≥80: OR 0.65 (0.57-0.73, P < 0.0001). Adoption of the TRA for PCI has occurred least in older patients in the UK despite similar associations between TRA use and decreased 30-day mortality observed in all age groups.