Impact of Bioprosthetic Choice on Mortality After Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients With Reduced Versus Preserved Left-Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

The outcome of transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TF-TAVI) with a self-expanding (SEP) versus a balloon-expandable prosthesis (BEP) in patients with a reduced ejection fraction (rEF, ≤40%) has not been previously investigated. Patients with rEF have an increased risk of death after TF-TAVI compared to patients with a preserved ejection fraction (pEF), and prosthesis choice might influence the outcome of these patients. We, therefore, sought to compare all-cause mortality of patients with rEF using a SEP versus a BEP. We retrospectively analyzed data of 679 single-center TF-TAVI patients. Patients were censored at death or completion of 1-year follow-up, whichever occurred first. Patients with rEF (n = 141, 21%) had an increased 1-year mortality compared to patients with pEF (28% vs 19%, p = 0.007). SEP were implanted in 149 patients (49 with rEF, 33%), while BEP were implanted in 530 patients (92 with rEF, 17%). In patients with pEF, 1-year mortality was similar after SEP- and BEP-implantation (16% vs 19%, p = 0.516). In patients with rEF, however, 1-year mortality was higher after SEP- than after BEP-implantation (43% vs 21%, p = 0.004). These patients had a higher incidence of new permanent pacemaker implantation (26.5% vs 13%, p = 0.046) and paravalvular leak ≥II° (21% vs 10%, p = 0.07), but both factors could not explain the excess mortality after SEP-implantation in the multivariate analysis. In patients with rEF, the use of a SEP was an independent predictor of 1-year mortality (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.27 to 4.27, p = 0.007). In conclusion, patients with rEF had a higher 1-year mortality after TF-TAVI when a SEP instead of a BEP was used.

Impact of baseline left ventricular ejection fraction on outcome after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with and without low-gradient aortic stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and its interaction with low-gradient aortic stenosis (LGAS) on all-cause mortality after transfemoral aortic valve implantation (TF-TAVI). METHODS: We reviewed mortality data of 624 consecutive single center TF-TAVI patients and categorized LVEF according to current ASE/EACVI recommendations (normal, mildly-, moderately-, and severely abnormal). RESULTS: Baseline LVEF was normal in 336 (53.8%), mildly abnormal in 160 (25.6%), moderately abnormal in 91 (14.6%), and severely abnormal in 37 (5.9%) patients, and 1-year mortality was 19%, 17%, 23%, and 43% (P = 0.002), respectively. Patients with LGAS had a similar 1-year mortality compared to those without LGAS in groups with normal (19% vs 19%, P = 0.899) and mildly abnormal LVEF (16% vs 17%, P = 0.898). One-year mortality of patients with LGAS was significantly greater than in those without LGAS in presence of moderately abnormal LVEF (31% vs 11%, P = 0.022), and it was numerically greater than in those without LGAS in presence of severely abnormal LVEF (48% vs 25%, P = 0.219). In multivariate analysis, only the combination of moderately/severely abnormal LVEF and LGAS predicted increased 1-year mortality (HR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.4-3.2, P < 0.001). Other variables, including EuroSCORE I did not affect this result. CONCLUSIONS: Moderately/severely abnormal LVEF (≤40%) at baseline is associated with increased mortality after TF-TAVI, especially when the mean transvalvular aortic gradient is <40 mm Hg (LGAS), while outcomes in patients with normal and mildly abnormal LVEF are comparable regardless of the pressure gradient across the native aortic valve. (DRKS00013729).

Comparison of Lipoprotein(a)-Levels in Patients ≥70 Years of Age With Versus Without Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Although lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is linked with aortic valve calcification and clinical aortic valve stenosis (AVS) in middle-aged cohorts, patients aged ≥70 years represent a majority of patients with AVS, in which mechanisms leading to AVS may differ. We sought to determine whether Lp(a) distinguishes patients ≥70 years with and without AVS. We matched 484 patients ≥70 years with AVS, scheduled for transcatheter aortic valve implantation with 484 patients without AVS by age group and gender. Lp(a) levels were compared in patients with and without AVS and stratified by presence and absence of clinical coronary artery disease (CAD) manifestation. A total of 968 patients (mean age 80 ± 5 years, 48% women) were included. When comparing patients with and without AVS, no difference in Lp(a) was observed (AVS: 17 [8; 56] mg/dl, no AVS: 18.5 [8.5; 57] mg/dl, p = 0.56). In contrast, patients with clinical CAD manifestation had higher Lp(a) levels than those without clinical CAD manifestation (coronary artery disease: 19 [9; 60] mg/dl, no coronary artery disease 15 [7; 44] mg/dl, p = 0.0006). In regression analysis, no significant association of Lp(a) with AVS was observed in unadjusted (OR [95% CI]: 0.98 [0.91 to 1.06], p = 0.59) and risk factor-adjusted models (0.98 [0.90 to 1.06], p = 0.57). However, Lp(a) was independently associated with clinical CAD manifestation (unadjusted: 1.14 [1.04 to 1.24], p = 0.003, risk factor adjusted: 1.17 [1.07 to 1.27], p = 0.0006). In conclusion, in a large cohort of patients ≥70 years, Lp(a) was associated with clinical CAD manifesation, but not with AVS. Our results suggest that in patients over 70 years, the development of AVS is not influenced by Lp(a).