Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis: Symptoms, Biochemical Markers, and Global Longitudinal Strain.

BACKGROUND: According to the actual guidelines regarding severe aortic valve stenosis (AS), symptoms are the most important trigger for aortic valve replacement (AVR). However, the objective analysis of cardiological clinic can be confused, considering the aging population this disease affects and the comorbidities. OBJECTIVES: Looking for an objective marker of disease, useful for scheduling the correct AVR, we researched the relation between some biochemical markers of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and its global longitudinal strain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 74 consecutive patients (82 ± 4 years) with severe AS. We identified 61 patients with symptoms (angina, dyspnea, and syncope) and 13 asymptomatic patients. The clinical and echocardiographic parameters were compared between these two groups. LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), NT-pro-B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), troponin T (TNT), creatine kinase-MB (CPK-MB), and myoglobin were determined at the time of evaluation. RESULTS: Compared with the asymptomatic group, patients in the symptomatic group had a lower LVGLS (P = 0.002) and an increased pro-BNP (P = 0.0002). LVGLS showed a good correlation with pro-BNP as a marker of myocardial damage, with a linear increase of pro-BNP in patients with a linear decrease of LVGLS (r = 0.43). Despite the normal value of LVEF > 50% in asymptomatic patients, some of them (46%) have an early dysfunction of LVGLS. No other statistically significant difference emerged from the biochemical analysis, in TNT (P = 0.29), CPK-MB (P = 0.36), and myoglobin (P = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: Pro-BNP and LVGLS can be considered an objective marker of clinical severity of AS disease, useful for management and scheduling of AVR, especially in asymptomatic patients.

Early Recovery of Left Ventricular Systolic Function after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BACKGROUND: A lot of studies have shown a positive effect of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the effect of TAVI on left ventricular function and correlate this phenomenon with hypertrophy degree in an early follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between August 2015 and July 2016, 250 consecutive patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) underwent TAVI in our institution. Given the aim of this analysis, only patients with an LVEF <50%, no more than moderate mitral valve regurgitation, successful valve implantation, and 1-month follow-up available were included in the study (n = 46). Patients were enrolled in a prospective database, with clinical and echocardiographic evaluations at 1 month after TAVI. RESULTS: All patients had severe symptomatic AS (mean transaortic pressure gradients: 44.1 ± 13.8 mmHg and mean aortic valve area: 0.66 ± 0.19 cm2). Mean baseline LVEF was 39.3 ± 8.8%. Significant hemodynamic improvement was observed after TAVI. Mean transvalvular aortic gradient decreased significantly from 44.1 ± 13.8 mmHg to 8.9 ± 4.2 mmHg (P < 0.005). A statistically significant improvement in LVEF compared to baseline was observed in the 1st month of follow-up (39.3 ± 8.8% vs. 44.1 ± 10.1%, P < 0.019). Overall, 52.2% of patients showed an increase in LVEF, 32.6% had no change, while only 2.2% had a decrease in LVEF. Interestingly, we found a significant reverse correlation between LVEF improvement and ventricular hypertrophy measured as diastolic interventricular septum thickness (Pearson index r = -0.42). Patients showing greater improvement in LVEF were those with less than moderate hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with depressed systolic function show a consistent and early LVEF recovery after TAVI. An impaired LVEF recovery is most likely among patients with more than moderate hypertrophy, probably responsible of left ventricular fibrosis that irremediably compromises systolic function.

Incidence of Long-Term Structural Valve Dysfunction and Bioprosthetic Valve Failure After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background Long-term data on durability of currently available transcatheter heart valves are sparse. We sought to assess the incidence of long-term (8-year) structural valve dysfunction and bioprosthetic valve failure in a cohort of patients with transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ) who reached at least 5-year follow-up. Methods and Results Consecutive patients with at least 5-year follow-up available undergoing TAVR from June 4, 2007 to March 30, 2012 were included. Structural valve dysfunction and bioprosthetic valve failure were defined according to newly standardized European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions/ European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery criteria and reported as cumulative incidence function to account for the competing risk of death. A total of 288 consecutive patients with a mean age of 80.7±5.3 years and with a mean Society of Thoracic Surgery mortality score of 8.1±5.1% were analyzed. Survival rate at 8 years was 29.8%. Mean pressure gradients decreased from 53.3±15.9 mm Hg (pre- TAVR ) to 10.5±4.5 mm Hg (in-hospital post- TAVR ) ( P<0.001). There was a small, not significant, increase in the transaortic gradient throughout follow-up. Bioprosthetic valve failure was observed in a total of 11 patients (8-year cumulative incidence function: 4.51%; 95% confidence interval , 1.95%-8.76%). Severe and moderate structural valve dysfunctions were reported in 7 patients (8-year cumulative incidence function: 2.39%; 95% confidence interval, 0.77%-5.71%) and 13 patients (8-year cumulative incidence function: 5.87%; 95% confidence interval , 3.06%-9.96%), respectively. Aortic valve reintervention (redo TAVR ) was successfully performed in 2 patients (0.7%) presenting with symptomatic severe restenosis and intraprosthetic regurgitation subsequent to endocarditis. Conclusions In an aged population of patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis treated with first-generation bioprostheses, TAVR was associated with a survival rate of 30% but low rates of bioprosthetic valve failure and structural valve dysfunction at 8 years.

Long-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of Mitraclip therapy in patients nonresponders to cardiac resynchronization.

OBJECTIVES: This study deals with clinical and echocardiographic outcomes in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) nonresponders patients undergoing Mitraclip procedure. BACKGROUND: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) occurs in approximately one-third of heart failure (HF) patients. Resynchronization therapy may correct FMR in patients with HF; however, significant FMR persists in 20-25% of CRT patients. METHODS: All patients included were previously treated with CRT for at least 6 months and remained classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV despite optimal medical therapy; the echocardiographic assessment showed lack of decrease of the left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) of at least 10% and residual moderate-to-severe or severe FMR. Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up was scheduled at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after Mitraclip implantation, and every 6 months thereafter. RESULTS: Thirty patients fulfilled inclusion criteria. Before Mitraclip implantation NYHA class was III in 83% and IV in 17% of patients; after CRT no patient experienced an improvement in FMR. There was a significant improvement in NYHA class from baseline to 6 months, which remained sustained at 12 and 24 months. The degree of FMR significantly improved from baseline to 6 months and from 6 to 12 months. There was left ventricle remodeling with significant reduction of LVESV and an increase of left ventricle ejection fraction at 6 and 12 months, while the opposite trend was noted between 12 and 24 months CONCLUSION: Treatment of moderate to severe FMR in CRT nonresponder is feasible, safe, and reasonably effective in reducing cardiac symptoms.