Percutaneous aortic balloon valvotomy in the United States: a 13-year perspective

Volume-outcome relationship in balloon aortic valvuloplasty: results of a consecutive, patient-level data analysis from a Japanese nationwide multicentre registry (J-SHD)

OBJECTIVE

Transcatheter balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) remains an important alternative treatment for severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis. With increasing numbers of BAVs being performed, the need for large-scale volume-outcome relationship assessments has become evident. Here, we aimed to explain such relationships by analysing consecutive, patient-level BAV data recorded in a prospective Japanese nationwide multicentre registry.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Data of 1920 BAVs performed in 200 Japanese hospitals from January 2015 to December 2019.

PARTICIPANTS

The mean patient age was 85 years, and 36.9% of procedures involved male patients.

METHODS

The efficacy of BAV was assessed by reducing the mean transaortic valve gradient after the procedure. We also assessed in-hospital complication rates, including in-hospital death, bleeding, urgent surgery, distal embolism, vessel rupture and contrast-induced nephropathy. Based on the distribution of case volume (median 20, IQR 10-46), we divided the patients into high-volume (≥20) and low-volume (<20) groups. In-hospital complication risk was assessed with adjustment by logistic regression modelling.

RESULTS

Indications for BAV included palliative/destination (44.2%), bridge to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (34.5%), bridge to surgical aortic valve replacement (7.4%) and salvage (9.7%). Reduction of the mean transaortic valve gradient was similar between the high-volume and low-volume groups (20 mm Hg vs 20 mm Hg, p=0.12). The proportion of in-hospital complications during BAV was 4.2%, and the incidence of complications showed no difference between the high-volume and low-volume groups (4.2% vs 4.1%, p=1.00). Rather than hospital volume, salvage procedure was an independent predictor of in-hospital complications (OR, 4.04; 95% CI, 2.03 to 8.06; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The current study demonstrated that procedural outcomes of BAV were largely independent of its institutional volume.

Comparison of American and European Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease

This review compares the recommendations of the recent 2020 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) and 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) guidelines on the management of patients with valvular heart disease (VHD). ACC/AHA and ESC/EACTS guidelines are both the updated versions of previous 2017 documents. Both guidelines fundamentally agree on the extended indications of percutaneous valve interventions, the optimal use of imaging modalities other than 2D echocardiography, the importance of a multidisciplinary Heart Team as well as active patient participation in clinical decision making, more widespread use of NOACs and earlier intervention with lower left ventricular dilatation thresholds to decrease long-term mortality. The differences between the guidelines are mainly related to the classification of the severity of valve pathologies and frequency of follow-up, level of recommendations of valve intervention indications in special patient groups such as frail patients and the left ventricular diameter and ejection fraction thresholds for intervention.

Trends in Percutaneous Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty Complications for Mitral Stenosis in the United States (the National Inpatient Sample [2008 to 2018])

The epidemiology of mitral stenosis (MS) continues to evolve in the United States. Although the incidence of rheumatic MS has decreased in high-income countries, there is a paucity of data surrounding trends in percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV), the current first-line management strategy. This study aimed to identify contemporary trends in PBMV in the United States. Hospitalizations for adults (≥18 years) with MS who underwent PBMV were identified from the National Inpatient Sample from 2008 to 2018. Baseline co-morbidities and outcomes over the study period were determined using Poisson regression. There were 3,980 weighted PBMV cases, 70% of which were women. PBMV hospitalizations decreased from 603 in 2008 to 210 in 2018 (p <0.001). From 2008 to 2018, the age at hospitalization was unchanged in both female and male patients. In contrast, the Charlson Co-morbidity Index increased in both. Baseline heart failure (39% to 64%), hypertension (38% to 43%), and diabetes mellitus (17% to 26%) all substantially increased over the study period. In-hospital mortality occurred in 2% of female and 5% of male patients and was unchanged from 2008 to 2018. Vascular complications (12%) and acute kidney injury (10%) were the most frequent postprocedural complications during the 11-year study period. A composite of mortality or any postprocedural complication did not vary by gender (odds ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval 0.88 to 1.72). In conclusion, the use of PBMV significantly decreased from 2008 to 2018, and patients with MS who underwent PBMV over this period had an increased burden of co-morbidities, elevated postprocedural complication rate, and no change in in-hospital mortality.

Temporal Trends in the Utilization and Outcomes of Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty in the Pre-Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and TAVI Eras

We used a nationwide cohort to (1) compare characteristics and outcomes of patients who underwent balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in pre-transcatheter aortic valve transplantation (TAVI) and TAVI eras, (2) examine trends in utilization and outcomes of BAV from 2005 to 2017, (3) assess the association of BAV procedural volume with hospital-based TAVI volume, and (4) understand trends and outcomes of BAV in TAVI and non-TAVI centers in the TAVI era. Pre-TAVI era included hospitalizations from 2005 to 2011, and TAVI era included hospitalizations from 2012 to 2017. In the TAVI era, hospitals were classified into quartiles based on the number of TAVI procedures performed. Trends in volume of BAV procedures from 2012 to 2017 were assessed in non-TAVI and TAVI centers (based on TAVI volume). Between 2005 and 2017, a total of 6,962 hospitalizations for BAV were identified. There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality or stroke between pre-TAVI and TAVI eras (mortality: pre-TAVI, 8.5% vs TAVI era, 9.3%, p = 0.354; stroke: pre-TAVI, 1.9% vs TAVI era, 1.3%, p = 0.083). However, acute kidney injury was more prevalent in the TAVI era and blood transfusion in the pre-TAVI era. Importantly, patients who underwent BAV in the TAVI era were more likely to have a greater number of co-morbidities and to undergo nonelective procedures. From 2005 to 2017, there was 10-fold increase in utilization of BAV. In the TAVI era, the maximum increase in number of BAV procedures was seen in hospitals with highest TAVI volume. In conclusion, although BAV procedural volume increased approximately 10-fold between 2005 and 2017, with concomitant expansion of TAVI, rates of mortality and stroke have remained stable. Despite this, the rate of BAV utilization continues to increase, thereby indicating a significant opportunity to improve outcomes in this patient population.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty: current status and future prospects

INTRODUCTION

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) improves hemodynamic and clinical status of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) for a limited period of 6-12 months. However, there is a high number of procedures performed worldwide and an upward trend over the last decades.

AREAS COVERED

Epidemiology of AS and the advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) contribute to the extensive referral of patients. The expansion of recommendations for TAVI has occasionally led to financial reimbursement-related problems that do not exist for BAV. BAV is indicated as a bridge to valve replacement, to decision in complex cases, and to extracardiac surgery. BAV may play a role in preparing for TAVI and optimizing procedural results. The minimalist approach and reduced complication rate make it applicable in fragile patients.

EXPERT OPINION

In the near future, BAV will continue to be a useful asset in managing patients with AS given the multiple indications, broad applicability, safety profile, low cost, and repeatability. Specific studies are necessary to explore technical solutions, stronger indications, the finest technique, and to standardize the procedural result. Pending the development of potential competitive devices, the role that BAV plays will remain closely intertwined with the one played by TAVI.

The current diagnosis and treatment of patients with aortic valve stenosis

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is the third most frequent cardiovascular abnormality after coronary artery disease and hypertension. A bicuspid aortic valve is the most common cause for AS until seventh decade and calcific valve degeneration is responsible thereafter. In symptomatic patients, The risk of death increases from ≤1%/year to 2%/month. An echo valve area ≤1 cm², peak transaortic velocity ≥4 m/s, mean valve gradient ≥40 mmHg and/or computerized tomography valve calcium score >2000 Agatston units (AU) for males or more than 1200 AU for females indicate severe AS. AS stages and management are discussed. Valve replacement is based on surgical risk, valve durability/hemodynamics, need for anticoagulation and patient preferences. EuroSCORE ≥20%, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality ≥8% and co-morbidities indicate high surgical risk. Surgery is recommended for low-intermediate risk patients. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is an alternative in older patients at low, intermediate, high or prohibitive risk. Transaortic valve implantation/replacement trials are summarized.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty through the novel transradial technique

BACKGROUND

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) has been typically performed through a femoral approach thus increasing the risk of bleeding and access site-related vascular complications. The aim of this study was to describe the safety and efficacy of transradial aortic valve valvuloplasty (TRBAV).

METHODS

The present research is a retrospective, single-center study including patients undergoing TRBAV (October 2019-July 2020). BAV was performed using 18-25 mm balloons through an 8-10 French (F) radial sheath. Successful BAV was defined as ≥50% reduction in peak-to-peak gradient (efficacy endpoint). Procedural complications, including radial artery occlusion (RAO) at follow-up were evaluated (safety endpoint).

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients underwent TRBAV were included, aged 81 (73-85) years, 70% males, EuroScoreII 3.1 (2.1-5.5). Aortic valve gradient was significantly reduced (pre-50±24 vs. 18.7±13 mmHg post, P<0.001), and 91% had successful BAV. Mean gradient drop was 31.4±16.8 mmHg. One patient (4%) required cross-over to femoral access for severe vasospasm and was excluded from the analysis. Most used sheaths were 8F (46%) and 9F (37%), mostly for 20 mm (50%) and 23 mm (38%) balloons. There were neither major procedural complications (neither balloon entrapment nor compartmental syndrome) nor minor complications (any access-site bleeding). RAO was observed in 2 patients (8%), both asymptomatic.

CONCLUSIONS

TRBAV was safe, feasible, and efficacious with a small rate of conversion and RAO, suggesting reproducibility of this novel technique. TRBAV may represent an alternative to femoral access in selected patients although larger studies are warranted.

Utility of balloon aortic valvuloplasty in the transcatheter aortic valve implantation era

BACKGROUND

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) has seen renewed interest since the advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The study aimed to characterise a contemporary BAV cohort and determinants of clinical outcomes.

METHODS

Patients undergoing BAV at a single tertiary centre were retrospectively reviewed over a 10-year period, and functional and mortality outcomes were reported with up to a 2-year follow-up.

RESULTS

224 patients (aged 82.5±8.3 years; 48% female) underwent BAV over the study period. Indications were either destination treatment (39%) or bridge-to-valve replacement (61%)-including bridge-to-decision (29%), symptom relief while on the waitlist (27%), and temporary contraindications to TAVI/aortic valve replacement (AVR) (5%). The mean reduction of aortic mean pressure gradient was 38%. Procedural mortality occurred in 0.5%, stroke in 1.3%, and major bleeding in 0.9%. Twelve-month mortality was 36% overall, and 26% and 50% in the bridging and destination groups, respectively. New York HeartAssociation (NYHA) class improved by ≥1 at 30 days in 50%. Among the bridge-to-TAVI/AVR group, 40% proceeded to TAVI/AVR within 12 months following BAV. In multivariate analysis, active malignancy at baseline (OR: 4.4, 95% CI: 1.3 to 15.1, p=0.02), smoking history (OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.3 to 7.9, p<0.01), LVEF ≤30% at baseline (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.3 to 7.6, p<0.01), destination treatment (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.0 to 4.9, p=0.04) were all associated with 12-month mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

BAV remains a useful procedure with relatively low rates of complications, however, 1-year mortality rates are high. Contemporary indications for BAV include a bridge to definitive valve replacement or destination treatment.

Contemporary balloon aortic valvuloplasty: Changing indications and refined technique

Even if un to improve long-term prognosis, balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) may be useful in selected patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis either as a bridge to surgical or transcatheter valve replacement (aortic valve replacement [AVR] or transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI]) or as a triage strategy for patients with uncertain indications. International guidelines recommend BAV as: a "bridge" to AVR/TAVI, a "trial" in patients with undetermined symptoms, or a "bridge-to-decision" in case of comorbidities. However, in clinical practice, BAV is also used as a palliative measure to improve hemodynamics and quality of life in many patients who are excluded from AVR/TAVI. Finally, BAV is often performed during TAVI to facilitate prosthesis delivery, optimize frame expansion, or for bioprosthetic valve fracture in selected valve-in-valve procedures. Technical innovations, which allow for a mini-invasive approach via transradial access and pacing delivered through the wire, have led to a decrease in complications over time. This review focuses on contemporary BAV with a specific emphasis on new indications, innovative techniques, and specific complex patient subgroups.

Outcomes of mitral valve repair compared with replacement for patients with rheumatic heart disease

OBJECTIVE

Whether mitral valve repair is superior to replacement in the population with rheumatic heart disease has been debated. This study aims to compare outcomes of repair with replacement by the propensity score method.

METHODS

This observational, prospective study enrolled patients with rheumatic heart disease who underwent mitral valve repair and replacement from January 2011 to April 2019. The propensity score method was used to select 2 groups with similar baseline characteristics. Baseline, clinical, and follow-up data were collected. Clinical outcomes included death from any cause, reoperation, and valve-related complications.

RESULTS

The overall population before matching (N = 1644) included 612 patients who underwent repair and 1032 patients who underwent replacement. The propensity score analysis generated matches for 1058 patients (529 pairs). The median follow-up time was 4.12 years. Early mortality and death from any cause during follow-up were significantly lower in the repair group compared with the replacement group (hazard ratio, 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05-0.64; P = .003; hazard ratio, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.19-0.74; P = .003, respectively). Patients in the repair group had a lower risk of valve-related complications compared with patients in the replacement group (subhazard ratio, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.21-0.90; P = .025). In terms of reoperation, no significant difference was observed between the repair and replacement groups (subhazard ratio, 2.54; 95% CI, 0.89-7.22; P = .081).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that rheumatic mitral valve repair in select patients is superior to mitral valve replacement with regard to lower mortality and fewer valve-related complications; meanwhile, it has a comparable risk of reoperation compared with replacement.

Temporal Trends on Percutaneous Mitral Commissurotomy: 30 Years of Experience

Background

Percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC) was the first available transcatheter technique for treatment of mitral valve diseases. Experience has led to extending the indications to patients with less favorable characteristics. We aimed to analyze (1) the temporal trends in characteristic and outcomes of patients undergoing PMC in a single center over 30 years and (2) the predictive factors of poor immediate results of PMC.

Methods and Results

From 1987 to 2016, 1 full year for each decade was analyzed: 1987, 1996, 2006, and 2016. Poor immediate results of PMC were defined as a mitral valve area <1.5 cm² or MR (mitral regurgitation) grade >2. Mitral anatomy was assessed using the Cormier classification and the fluoroscopic extent of calcification. Six hundred three patients were included: 111, 202, 205, and 85, respectively. Mean age increased >10 years over time (P<0.0001). Mitral anatomy was less favorable over the years: the presence of calcification increased from 25% of patients at the beginning of PMC to >40% during the past decade (P<0.0001) with a 3‐fold increase in severe mitral calcification. Consistently, the proportion of good immediate results decreased over time (P<0.05) but remained at 76% in 2016. Multivariate analysis showed 3 predictive factors of poor immediate results: smaller baseline mitral valve area (P<0.0001), pre‐PMC MR grade 2 (P<0.01), and the presence or amount of calcification (P<0.001).

Conclusions

This clinic's patients became significantly older with more frequent and severe calcification in the past decade. Predictive factors of poor immediate results were related to valve anatomy, including calcification. Despite challenges raised by severe calcification, PMC was still successful in >3 out of 4 patients in recent years.

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Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A National Database Analysis

Background

The goal of our study was to determine the impact of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) on in-hospital outcomes among acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients, and subsequently determine the potential risk factors for the development of GIB.

Methods

ARDS patients with and without GIB were identified using the National Inpatient Sample (2002 - 2012). Linear regression analysis was used to assess impact of GIB on in-hospital mortality, length of stay and total charges. Univariate logistic regression was used to determine associated odds ratios (OR) for causes of ARDS and common comorbid conditions.

Results

We identified 149,190 ARDS patients. The incidence of GIB was the highest among patients > 60 years (P < 0.001). GIB was associated with longer hospitalization days (7.3 days versus 11.9 days, P < 0.001), higher mortality (11% versus 27%, P < 0.001) and greater economic burden ($82,812 versus $45,951, P < 0.001). GIB was common in cirrhosis (OR: 8.3), peptic ulcer disease (OR: 3.7), coagulopathy disorders (OR: 3.003), thrombocytopenia (OR: 2.6), anemia (OR: 2.5) and atrial fibrillation (OR: 1.5). ARDS secondary to aspiration pneumonia (OR: 2.0), pancreatitis (OR: 2.0), sepsis (OR: 1.6) and community acquired pneumonia (OR: 0.8) was more likely to have GIB.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that GIB in ARDS patients is associated with significant increased mortality, hospitalization and health care cost.

Degenerative Mitral Stenosis: From Pathophysiology to Challenging Interventional Treatment

Mitral stenosis (MS) is characterized by obstruction of left ventricular inflow as a result of narrowing of the mitral valve orifice. Although its prevalence has declined over the last decade, especially in developed countries, it remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality.  The most often cause of MS worldwide is still postrheumatic mitral valve disease. However, in developed countries, degenerative or calcific changes cause MS in a siginificant proportion of patients. Although the range of treatment for mitral valve disease has grown over the years in parallel with transcatheter therapies for aortic valve disease, these improvements in mitral valve disease therapy have experienced slower development. This is mainly due to the more complex anatomy of the mitral valve and entire mitral apparatus, and the interplay of the mitral valve with the left ventricle which hinders the development of effective implantable mitral valve devices. This is especially the case with degenerative MS where percutaneous or surgical comissurotomy is rarely employed due to the presence of extensive annular calcification and at the base of leaflets, without associated commissural fusion. However, the last few years have witnessed innovations in transcatheter interventional procedures for degenerative MS which consequently hinted that in the future, transcatheter mitral valve replacement could be the treatment of choice for these patients.

Management of Patients With Aortic Valve Stenosis

With increased life expectancy and aging of the population, aortic stenosis is now one of the most common valvular heart diseases. Early recognition and management of aortic stenosis are of paramount importance because untreated symptomatic severe disease is universally fatal. The advent of transcather aortic valve replacement technologies provides exciting avenues of care to patients with this disease in whom traditional surgical procedures could not be performed or were associated with high risk. This review for clinicians offers an overview of aortic stenosis and updated information on the current status of various treatment strategies. An electronic literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus was performed from conception July 1, 2016, through November 30, 2017, using the terms aortic stenosis, aortic valve replacement, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter aortic valve insertion (TAVI), surgical aortic valve replacement, aortic stenosis flow-gradient patterns, low-flow aortic valve stenosis, natural history, stress testing, pathophysiology, bicuspid aortic valve, and congenital aortic valve disease.

Morbidity and Mortality Associated With Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty

Background—

The introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) led to renewed interest in balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV). We sought to assess contemporary trends in BAV utilization and their outcomes.

Methods and Results—

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify patients who underwent BAV between 2004 and 2013. In-hospital morbidity and mortality, and predictors of death after BAV were assessed. Outcomes of propensity-matched groups of patients undergoing elective BAV or TAVR were evaluated. BAV utilization increased from 707 cases in 2004 to 3715 cases in 2013 (national estimates). Procedural and in-hospital mortality were 1.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Vascular complications occurred in 7.0% of cases, blood transfusion in 17.5%, clinical stroke in 1.8%, and pacemaker implantation in 3.0%. The strongest predictors of in-hospital death were cardiogenic shock (odds ratio, 6.01; 95% confidence interval, 4.19–8.61; P <0.001), need for left ventricular assist device (odds ratio, 3.48; 95% confidence interval, 2.25–5.36; P <0.001), coagulopathy (odds ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.51–3.18; P <0.001), and low institutional volume of BAV (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–2.37; P =0.03). In propensity-matched patients undergoing elective BAV or TAVR, rates of in-hospital mortality (2.9% versus 3.5%; P =0.60), clinical stroke (1.6% versus 3.1%; P =0.10), and vascular complications (8.2% versus 10.9%; P =0.14) were similar. However, BAV was associated with lower rates of pacemaker implantation (2.9% versus 8.0%; P <0.001) and blood transfusion (12.8% versus 22.9%; P <0.001).

Conclusions—

In a contemporary national registry, BAV is associated with significant morbidity and mortality that are similar to TAVR. With the substantial increase in BAV utilization and the continuous improvement in TAVR outcomes, these data have important implications to aid clinicians in the selection of appropriate BAV candidates.

Outcomes of hemodynamic support with Impella in very high-risk patients undergoing balloon aortic valvuloplasty: Results from the Global cVAD Registry

BACKGROUND

Reports on the role of hemodynamic support devices in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction undergoing balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) are limited.

METHODS

Patients were identified from the cVAD registry, an ongoing multicenter voluntary registry at selected sites in North America that have used Impella in >10 patients.

RESULTS

A total of 116 patients with AS who underwent BAV with Impella support were identified. Mean age was 80.41±9.03years and most patients were male. Mean STS score was 18.77%±18.32, LVEF was 27.14%±16.07, and 42% underwent concomitant PCI. In most cases Impella was placed electively prior to BAV, whereas 26.7% were placed as an emergency. The two groups had similar baseline characteristics except for higher prevalence of CAD and lower LVEF in the elective group, and higher STS score in the emergency group. Elective strategy was associated higher 1-year survival compared to emergency placement (56% vs. 29.2%, p=0.003). One-year survival was higher when BAV was used as a bridge to definitive therapy as opposed to palliative treatment (90% vs. 28%, p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, STS score and aim of BAV (bridge to definitive therapy vs. palliative indication) were independent predictors of mortality.

CONCLUSION

In this large cohort of patients with AS and severe LV dysfunction undergoing BAV, our results demonstrates feasibility and promising long-term outcomes using elective Impella support with the intention to bridge to a definitive therapy.

Bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement 12 years after percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty in a young female adult with hope of pregnancy

CASE

A 26-year-old woman who had congenital aortic valve stenosis presented with exertional dyspnea. She had undergone percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty 12 years previously at the age of 14. When she was 20 years old, she delivered a neonate by elective cesarean section at the 31st week of gestation because the mean pressure between the left ventricle and the ascending aorta was 52 mmHg.

OUTCOME

She successfully underwent aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta in order to make the next pregnancy possible.

CONCLUSION

The long-term prognosis of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty might be acceptable for some patients, even though this procedure is associated with the possibility of secondary interventions.

Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a narrative review

The role of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in the management of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis has come under the spotlight following the development of the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) technique. Previous indications for BAV were limited to symptom palliation and as a bridge to definitive therapy for patients undergoing conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR). In the TAVI era, BAV may also be undertaken to assess the ‘therapeutic response’ of a reduction in aortic gradient in borderline patients often with multiple comorbidities, to assess symptomatic improvement prior to consideration of definitive TAVI intervention. This narrative review aims to update the reader on the current indications and practical techniques involved in undertaking a BAV procedure. In addition, a summary of the haemodynamic and clinical outcomes, as well as the frequently encountered procedural complications is presented for BAV procedures conducted during both the pre-TAVI and post-TAVI era.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease

The objective of our study was to assess patients with end-stage liver disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and determine the rates and trend of complications and in-hospital outcomes. Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2005 to 2012. We identified all PCIs performed in patients with diagnosis of cirrhosis during the study period by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Preventable procedural complications were identified by Patient Safety Indicators. Propensity scoring method was used to establish matched cohorts to control for imbalances and account for differences that may have influenced treatment outcomes. A total of 1,051,242 PCIs were performed during the study period, of these, 122,342 were done on subjects with a formal diagnosis of cirrhosis. Bare-metal stents (BMS) were more likely to be used in patients who presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (19.73 vs 13.58, p <0.001), in cardiogenic shock (5.58, vs 2.81, p <0.001), or required intraaortic balloon pump (4.73 vs 2.38, p <0.001). The overall rate of complications was 7.1%, whereas the overall mortality rate over these years was 3.63%. On a propensity-matched analysis the mortality rate was 2 times higher for BMS (5.18 vs 2.35, p <0.001) compared with drug-eluting stents. PCI remains a safe and plausible option for patients with cirrhosis albeit riskier than for the general population. The use of BMS is associated with increased mortality and bleeding complications compared with drug-eluting stents which likely is representative of preferential use of BMS in patients with more advanced end-stage liver disease who are also likely to experience higher postprocedural complications.

The transcatheter valve technology pipeline for treatment of adult valvular heart disease

The transcatheter valve technology pipeline has started as simple balloon valvuloplasty for the treatment of stenotic heart valves and evolved since the year 2000 to either repair or replace heart valves percutaneously with multiple devices. In this review, the present technology and its application are illuminated and a glimpse into the near future is dared from a physician's perspective.

Gender, Race, and Health Insurance Status in Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) has emerged as a popular procedure. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there exist differences or disparities in ablation utilization across gender, socioeconomic class, insurance, or race. Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2000 to 2012), we identified adults hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of AF by ICD 9 code 427.31 who had catheter ablation (ICD 9 code-37.34). We stratified patients by race, insurance status, age, gender, and hospital characteristics. A hierarchical multivariate mixed-effect model was created to identify the independent predictors of AF ablation. Among an estimated total of 3,508,122 patients (extrapolated from 20% Nationwide Inpatient Sample) hospitalized with a diagnosis of AF in the United States from the year 2000 to 2012, 102,469 patients (2.9%) underwent catheter ablations. The number of ablations was increased by 940%, from 1,439 in 2000 to 15,090 in 2012. There were significant differences according to gender, race, and health insurance status, which persisted even after adjustment for other risk factors. Female gender (0.83 [95% CI 0.79 to 0.87; p <0.001]), black (0.49 [95% CI 0.44 to 0.55; p <0.001]), and Hispanic race (0.64 [95% CI 0.56 to 0.72; p <0.001]) were associated with lower likelihoods of undergoing an AF ablation. Medicare (0.93, 0.88 to 0.98, <0.001) or Medicaid (0.67, 0.59 to 0.76, <0.001) coverage and uninsured patients (0.55, 0.49 to 0.62, <0.001) also had lower rates of AF ablation compared to patients with private insurance. In conclusion we found differences in utilization of catheter ablation for AF based on gender, race, and insurance status that persisted over time.

Effect of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair: An Early US Experience

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) is a complex procedure for patients with mitral regurgitation who cannot get surgery. However, there is a lack of data on how hospital volumes affect these outcomes.

METHODS

We performed a cross sectional study based on Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample database of 2012 and identified subjects using the ICD-9-CM procedure code of 35.97, which was introduced in October 2010 for percutaneous mitral valve repair if present in the primary or secondary procedure field. Hospital volumes were divided into tertiles. The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital mortality and peri-procedural complications. Length of stay and hospitalization cost were also assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 95 (weighted n = 475) TMVR procedures were identified. The mean age of the overall cohort was 70 years; 43.2% were female and 63.2% had a significant baseline burden of co-morbidities. The composite of in-hospital mortality and peri-procedural complications decreased with increasing TMVR hospital volume: 48.7% in the first tertile, 17.4% in the second tertile, and 9.1% in the third tertile. Additionally, we saw a decrease in the length of stay and a trend in decrease in the hospitalization cost.

CONCLUSION

In hospitals performing TMVR, higher hospital volumes are associated with a reduction in a composite of in-hospital mortality and post-procedural complications, in addition to the shorter length of stay.

Gender, Racial, and Health Insurance Differences in the Trend of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) Utilization: A United States Experience Over the Last Decade

Prior studies have highlighted disparities in cardiac lifesaving procedure utilization, particularly among women and in minorities. Although there has been a significant increase in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion, socioeconomic disparities still exist in the trend of ICD utilization. With the use of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2003 through 2011, we identified subjects with ICD insertion (procedure code 37.94) and cardiac resynchronization defibrillator (procedure code 00.50, 00.51) as codified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. Overall, 1 020 076 ICDs were implanted in the United States from 2003 to 2011. We observed an initial increase in ICD utilization by 51%, from 95 062 in 2003 to 143 262 in 2006, followed by a more recent decline. The majority of ICDs were implanted in men age ≥65 years. Implantation of ICDs was 2.5× more common in men than in women (402 per million vs 163 per million). Approximately 95% of the ICDs were implanted in insured patients, and 5% were used in the uninsured population. There has been a significant increase in ICD implantation in blacks, from 162 per million in 2003 to 291 per million in 2011. We found a significant difference in the volume of ICD implants between the insured and the uninsured patient populations. Racial disparities have narrowed significantly in comparison with those noted in earlier studies and are now more reflective of the population demographics at large. On the other hand, significant gender disparities continue to exist.

Impact of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Endovascular Stenting for Adult Aortic Coarctation

Use of transcatheter endovascular stenting has been increasing in the treatment of coarctation of aorta (CoA). The present study was undertaken on adults with CoA who underwent stent placement from 2000 to 2011 to analyze the relation of hospital volumes to the outcomes of stenting in adults with CoA. It was a retrospective study based on Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2000 to 2011 and identified subjects using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure code of 747.10 (CoA). Annual hospital volume was calculated using unique hospital identifiers. Weights provided by the Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to generate national estimates. A total of 105 (weighted 521) subjects were identified with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, code of 39.90 (Endovascular stent). Hospital volumes were divided into tertiles. We compared the highest tertile (≥3 procedures annually) with other tertiles (<3 procedure annually). The composite outcomes of the analysis were procedure-related complications, length of stay (LOS), and cost in relation to the hospital volume. No inhospital death was reported in either group. Hospitals with ≥3 procedures annually had significantly lower incidence of complications (9.5% vs 23.0%) compared to the hospitals with <3 procedures annually (p-value 0.002). Similar results were obtained after multivariate regression analysis in relation to hospital volume. Shorter LOS and lower cost were observed with annual hospital volume of ≥3 procedures. In conclusion, stenting adults for CoA is remarkably safe, and the outcomes of the procedure have improved in centers with annual hospital volume of ≥3 procedures. There is also decreasing trend of procedure-related complications, shorter LOS, and lower costs compared to centers with annual volume <3 procedures.

Trends of Hospitalizations in the United States from 2000 to 2012 of Patients >60 Years With Aortic Valve Disease

In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of valvular heart disease and, in particular, aortic stenosis. This has been driven in part by the development of innovative therapeutic options and by an aging patient population. We hypothesized an increase in the number of hospitalizations and the economic burden associated with aortic valve disease (AVD). Using Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2000 to 2012, AVD-related hospitalizations were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, code 424.1, as the principal discharge diagnosis. Overall AVD hospitalizations increased by 59% from 2000 to 2012. This increase was most significant in patients >80 years and those with higher burden of co-morbidities. The most frequent coexisting conditions were hypertension, heart failure, renal failure, anemia, and diabetes. Overall inhospital mortality of patients hospitalized for AVD was 3.8%, which significantly decreased from 4.5% in 2000 to 3.5% in 2012 (p <0.001). The largest decrease in mortality was seen in the subgroup of patients who had heart failure (62% reduction), higher burden of co-morbidities (58% reduction), and who were >80 years (53% reduction). There was a substantial increase in the cost of hospitalization in the last decade from $31,909 to $38,172 (p <0.001). The total annual cost for AVD hospitalization in the United States increased from $1.3 billion in 2001 to $2.1 billion in 2011 and is expected to increase to nearly 3 billion by 2020. The last decade has witnessed a significant increase in hospitalizations for AVD in the United States. The associated decrease in inhospital mortality and increase in the cost of hospitalization have considerably increased the economic burden on the public health system.

Comparison of inhospital mortality, length of hospitalization, costs, and vascular complications of percutaneous coronary interventions guided by ultrasound versus angiography

Despite the valuable role of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs), its impact on clinical outcomes remains debatable. The aim of the present study was to compare the outcomes of PCIs guided by IVUS versus angiography in the contemporary era on inhospital outcomes in an unrestricted large, nationwide patient population. Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2008 to 2011. Hierarchical mixed-effects logistic regression models were used for categorical dependent variables like inhospital mortality, and hierarchical mixed-effects linear regression models were used for continuous dependent variables like length of hospital stay and cost of hospitalization. A total of 401,571 PCIs were identified, of which 377,096 were angiography guided and 24,475 (weighted n = 119,102) used IVUS. In a multivariate model, significant predictors of higher mortality were increasing age, female gender, higher baseline co-morbidity burden, presence of acute myocardial infarction, shock, weekend and emergent admission, or occurrence of any complication during hospitalization. Significant predictors of reduced mortality were the use of IVUS guidance (odds ratio 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.52 to 0.83; p <0.001) for PCI and higher hospital volumes (third and fourth quartiles). The use of IVUS was also associated with reduced inhospital mortality in subgroup of patients with acute myocardial infarction and/or shock and those with a higher co-morbidity burden (Charlson's co-morbidity index ≥2). In one of the largest studies on IVUS-guided PCIs in the drug-eluting stent era, we demonstrate that IVUS guidance is associated with reduced inhospital mortality, similar length of hospital stay, and increased cost of care and vascular complications compared with conventional angiography-guided PCIs.

Comparison of outcomes of balloon aortic valvuloplasty plus percutaneous coronary intervention versus percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty alone during the same hospitalization in the United States

The use of percutaneous aortic balloon balvotomy (PABV) in high surgical risk patients has resurged because of development of less invasive endovascular therapies. We compared outcomes of concomitant PABV and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with PABV alone during same hospitalization using nation's largest hospitalization database. We identified patients and determined time trends using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, procedure code for valvulotomy from Nationwide Inpatient Sample database 1998 to 2010. Only patients >60 years with aortic stenosis were included. Primary outcome included in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes included procedural complications, length of stay (LOS), and cost of hospitalization. Total 2,127 PABV procedures were identified, with 247 in PABV + PCI group and 1,880 in the PABV group. Utilization rate of concomitant PABV + PCI during same hospitalization increased by 225% from 5.1% in 1998 to 1999 to 16.6% in 2009 to 2010 (p <0.001). Overall in-hospital mortality rate and complication rates in PABV + PCI group were similar to that of PABV group (10.3% vs 10.5% and 23.4% vs 24.7%, respectively). PABV + PCI group had similar LOS but higher hospitalization cost (median [interquartile range] $30,089 [$21,925 to $48,267] versus $18,421 [$11,482 to $32,215], p <0.001) in comparison with the PABV group. Unstable condition, occurrence of any complication, and weekend admission were the main predictors of increased LOS and cost of hospital admission. Concomitant PCI and PABV during the same hospitalization are not associated with change in in-hospital mortality, complications rate, or LOS compared with PABV alone; however, it increases the cost of hospitalization.