Clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with porcelain aorta

Impact of porcelain aorta on outcomes in transfemoral aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with balloon-expandable valves

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines recommend transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for patients with aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta (PA). Neurological outcomes of patients with PA undergoing TAVI with modern valves require clarification as most trials examined balloon-expandable valves (BEV) and self-expandable valves in intermediate or high-risk patients, but not specifically in patients with PA. Our aim was to compare outcomes, including stroke and mortality, in well-matched patients with and without PA who received BEV during transfemoral TAVI procedures.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing TAVI were entered into a registry. For this single-centre (Zentralklinik Bad Berka, Germany), retrospective analysis, we only selected patients who received BEV. PA diagnosis was made when non-contrast axial CT images fulfilled Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria for PA. There was 2:1 nearest neighbour matching of patients without and with PA. The primary outcome measure was 30-day mortality or stroke within 72 hours. Secondary outcome measures were 30-day mortality, stroke within 72 hours, technical success and 30-day device success.

RESULTS

After matching patients with (n=141) and without PA (n=282), the primary outcome of mortality at <30 days or stroke within 72 hours was higher in PA versus non-PA (7.8% vs 2.5%; OR 3.32 (95% CI 1.25 to 8.85); p=0.019). With regard to secondary outcomes, PA was not associated with mortality at 30 days (4.3% vs 2.1%; OR 2.04 (95% CI 0.65 to 6.48); p=0.23); however, stroke within 72 hours was significantly higher in PA versus non-PA (3.5% vs 0.4%; OR 10.33 (95% CI 1.17 to 91.12); p=0.017). Technical and device success were uninfluenced by PA.

CONCLUSIONS

Transfemoral TAVI with BEV in patients with PA was associated with a higher risk of the primary combined endpoint of mortality at 30 days or stroke within 72 hours, which was primarily driven by stroke within 72 hours. These findings might influence cerebral embolic protection device use in patients with PA.

Analysis of Calcium Patterns in the Thoracic Aorta and Clinical Outcomes of TAVR Patients Presenting with Porcelain Aorta

Background/Objectives: In the presence of porcelain aorta (PA), transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a class I therapeutic indication for the treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis. To date, few studies have analyzed the clinical outcomes of TAVR in PA patients. We aim to analyze the calcification patterns of the thoracic aorta in PA patients and to evaluate their clinical implications for TAVR procedures. Methods: This study included 161 patients who had PA confirmed through pre-operative CT and underwent TAVR between 11/2014 and 12/2022. The primary outcome was to perform a multi-slice CT (MSCT) analysis assessing the calcification in the proximal, middle, and distal thoracic aortic segments. Each segment was divided into quadrants for scoring calcifications on a scale from 1 (<25%) to 4 (>75%). The cohort was categorized into circular or noncircular calcification group. The secondary clinical outcomes were defined according to VARC-3 criteria. Results: The study cohort included 161 patients (median age, 77.2 years; IQR, 70.1-82.6 years). The median EuroSCORE II and STS predicted risk of mortality were 3.10% [1.80-5.58] and 2.70% [1.70-4.30], respectively. In 75% of patients (n = 121/161), TAVR was performed via transfemoral access. Circular calcifications were found in 8.1% of patients, while noncircular calcifications were present in 91.9%. Significant calcifications were primarily in the right quadrant of the proximal segment (33.54%), superior quadrant of the middle segment (39.75%), and left quadrant of the distal segment (73.29%). The 30-day mortality rate was 3.11% and periprocedural ischemic stroke rate 3.38%. Conclusions: Most TAVR patients with PA exhibited noncircular calcification. The most extensive calcifications were primarily in areas relevant to surgical manipulation. Patients with PA displayed low short-term mortality and relatively few stroke events. In view of these findings, TAVR constitutes a valid treatment option for patients with PA and aortic stenosis.

Myocardial analysis from routine 4D cardiac-CT to predict reverse remodeling and clinical outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

PURPOSE

Our study aimed to determine whether 4D cardiac computed tomography (4DCCT) based quantitative myocardial analysis may improve risk stratification and can predict reverse remodeling (RRM) and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated 4DCCT prior to TAVI were prospectively enrolled. 4DCCT-derived left- (LV) and right ventricular (RV), and left atrial (LA) dimensions, mass, ejection fraction (EF) and myocardial strain were evaluated to predict RRM and survival. RRM was defined by either relative increase in LVEF by 5% or relative decline in LV end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) by 5% assessed by transthoracic echocardiography prior TAVI, at discharge, and at 12-month follow-up compared to baseline prior to TAVI.

RESULTS

Among 608 patients included in this study (55 % males, age 81 ± 6.6 years), RRM was observed in 279 (54 %) of 519 patients at discharge and in 218 (48 %) of 453 patients at 12-month echocardiography. While no CCT based measurements predicted RRM at discharge, CCT based LV mass index and LVEF independently predicted RRM at 12-month (ORadj = 1.012; 95 %CI:1.001-1.024; p = 0.046 and ORadj = 0.969; 95 %CI:0.943-0.996; p = 0.024, respectively). The most pronounced changes in LVEF and LVEDD were observed in patients with impaired LV function at baseline. In multivariable analysis age (HRadj = 1.037; 95 %CI:1.005-1.070; p = 0.022) and CCT-based LVEF (HRadj = 0.972; 95 %CI:0.945-0.999; p = 0.048) and LAEF (HRadj = 0.982; 95 %CI:0.968-0.996; p = 0.011) independently predicted survival.

CONCLUSION

Comprehensive myocardial functional information derived from routine 4DCCT in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI could predict reverse remodeling and clinical outcomes at 12-month following TAVI.

Choosing transcatheter aortic valve replacement in porcelain aorta: outcomes versus surgical replacement

OBJECTIVES

Porcelain aorta complicates aortic valve replacement and is an indication for transcatheter approaches. No study has compared surgical and transcatheter valve replacement in the setting of porcelain aorta. We characterize porcelain aorta patients undergoing aortic valve replacement and the association of aortic calcification and outcomes.

METHODS

Patients undergoing aortic valve replacement with porcelain aorta were identified. Aortic calcium volume was determined using 3D computed tomography thresholding techniques. Propensity scoring was performed to assess the effect of surgical versus transcatheter approaches. Risk factors for composite major hospital complications (death, stroke and dialysis) were identified using random forest machine learning.

RESULTS

From January 2006 to January 2015, 164 patients with porcelain aorta underwent aortic valve replacement [105 (64%) surgical replacement, 59 (36%) transcatheter replacement]. Propensity scoring matched 29 pairs (49% of transcatheter patients). Before matching, 5-year survival was 41% [(43% surgical, 35% transcatheter, P(log-rank) = 0.9]. After matching, mortality for surgical versus transcatheter replacement was 3.4% (n = 1) vs 10% (n = 3), stroke 14% (n = 4) vs 3.4% (n = 1) and dialysis 6.9% (n = 2) versus 11% (n = 3). Matched 5-year survival was 40% after surgical replacement and 29% after transcatheter replacement [P(log-rank) = 0.4]. Total aortic calcium volume was greater in transcatheter than surgical patients [18 (8.0) vs 17 (7.7) ml] and was associated with more major hospital complications after either approach.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical and transcatheter approaches are complementary options for aortic stenosis with porcelain aorta. Surgical valve replacement remains an effective treatment for patients requiring concomitant procedures. Quantifying aortic calcium volume is a helpful risk predictor in all patients with porcelain aorta.

The journal of cardiovascular computed tomography: A year in review: 2022

This review aims to summarize key articles published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (JCCT) in 2022, focusing on those that had the most scientific and educational impact. The JCCT continues to expand; the number of submissions, published manuscripts, cited articles, article downloads, social media presence, and impact factor continues to grow. The articles selected by the Editorial Board of the JCCT in this review highlight the role of cardiovascular computed tomography (CCT) to detect subclinical atherosclerosis, assess the functional relevance of stenoses, and plan invasive coronary and valve procedures. A section is dedicated to CCT in infants and other patients with congenital heart disease, in women, and to the importance of training in CT. In addition, we highlight key consensus documents and guidelines published in JCCT last year. The Journal values the tremendous work by authors, reviewers, and editors to accomplish these contributions.

Procedural Outcomes of a Self-Expanding Transcatheter Heart Valve in Patients with Porcelain Aorta

BACKGROUND

Severe calcification of the ascending aorta increases the peri-operative risk for neurological complications in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) seems to be an optimal treatment option in these patients. However, the impact of the extent of aortic calcification on procedural and neurological outcomes during TAVI is unclear.

METHODS

Data from 3010 patients with severe native aortic valve stenosis treated with ACURATE neo/neo2 from May 2012 to July 2022 were evaluated and matched by 2-to-1 nearest-neighbor matching to identify one patient with porcelain aorta (PA) (n = 492) compared with two patients without PA (n = 984). PA was additionally subdivided into circumferential (classic PA) (n = 89; 3.0%) and non-circumferential (partial PA) (n = 403; 13.4%) calcification. We compared outcomes according to VARC-3 criteria among patients with and without PA and identified predictors for occurrence of stroke in the overall population.

RESULTS

Technical success (88.5% vs. 87.4%, p = 0.589) and device success at 30 days (82.3% vs. 81.5%, p = 0.755) after transcatheter ACURATE neo/neo2 implantation according to VARC-3 definition was high and did not differ between non-calcified aortas or PA. The rate of in-hospital complications according to VARC-3-definitions was low in both groups. Rates of all stroke (3.2% (n = 31) vs. 2.6% (n = 13), p = 0.705) or transitory ischemic attacks (1.1% vs. 1.2%, p = 1.000) did not differ significantly. Thirty-day all-cause mortality did not differ (3.0% vs. 3.2%, RR 1.1; p = 0.775). Overall device migration/embolization (OR 5.0 [2.10;11.87]), severe bleeding (OR 1.79 [1.11;2.89]), and major structural cardiac complications (OR 3.37 [1.32;8.57]) were identified as independent predictors for in-hospital stroke in a multivariate analysis after implantation of ACURATE neo/neo2.

CONCLUSION

A porcelain aorta does not increase the risk of neurological complications after transfemoral ACURATE neo/neo2 implantation. Based on these findings, transfemoral ACURATE neo/neo2 implantation is safe in these particularly vulnerable patients.