Frailty and related outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter valve therapies in a nationwide cohort

Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Vitamin K Antagonists After Mitral Valve Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Single-Center Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) has emerged as a viable therapy option in patients with severe mitral regurgitation and high surgical risk. Although atrial fibrillation is common among patients undergoing M-TEER, the optimal anticoagulatory treatment after the intervention is unknown.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective observational analysis was conducted using data from the M-TEER registry at the University Hospital Cologne collected from 2019 untill 2021 including patients undergoing M-TEER between November 2012 and April 2019. Patients with atrial fibrillation receiving consistent anticoagulation following M-TEER were categorized into a direct oral anticoagulant or a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) group. The primary end point was a composite of ischemic cerebrovascular and bleeding events. Additionally, overall survival was assessed.

RESULTS

Among 613 patients undergoing M-TEER, 206 met the inclusion criteria, with 61 receiving direct oral anticoagulants and 145 receiving VKAs. After a median follow-up of 833 (interquartile range, 355-1271) days, the incidence of the composite primary end point did not differ between direct oral anticoagulant and VKA groups (hazard ratio [HR], 0.51 [95% CI, 0.23-1.12]; P=0.07). Similarly, rates of ischemic cerebrovascular events and bleeding events were similar between groups. However, the overall mortality rate was higher in the VKA group (HR, 2.56 [95% CI, 1.54-4.26]; P=0.002). In the multivariable analysis, oral anticoagulation with a VKA was an independent predictor for death (adjusted HR, 2.23 [95% CI, 1.08-5.06]; P=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that direct oral anticoagulants may offer comparable efficacy and safety to VKAs in preventing thromboembolic events following M-TEER in patients with atrial fibrillation. Further randomized trials are needed to confirm these results and establish optimal anticoagulation strategies in this patient population.

Handgrip strength as a marker of frailty in patients with transcatheter edge-to-edge repair: Insights from the OCEAN-mitral registry

BACKGROUND

This study aims to investigate whether handgrip strength can predict all-cause mortality following transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER), and whether it improves after TEER.

METHODS

The OCEAN-Mitral Registry includes 2077 patients who had handgrip strength test before TEER. Scores were divided into quartiles according to the handgrip strength. Additionally, 371 of them had follow-up handgrip strength test 1 year after TEER.

RESULTS

Quartile 4 (weakest) were more likely to be older, smaller, and more symptomatic due to heart failure than others as baseline characteristics. Multivariate analyses revealed that quartile 3 and 4 were independently associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality after TEER compared with quartile 1 as a referent (adjusted hazard ratio 1.58, 95 % confidence interval 1.06-2.35, p = 0.024 for quartile 3, and adjusted hazard ratio 2.40, 95 % confidence interval 1.62-3.55, P < 0.001 for quartile 4). In subanalysis, in primary MR, handgrip strength did not change in patients with successful MR reduction (MR ≤2+), whereas it significantly decreased in those without successful MR reduction (MR 3+/4+). Conversely, in secondary MR, it significantly increased in those with successful MR reduction, whereas it did not change in those without successful MR reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Weaker handgrip strength, one of the good indicators of frailty was associated with all-cause mortality following TEER. Reduction in MR was linked to improvements in frailty. This is the largest and the very first study showing that MR reduction ≤2+ after TEER would be important for improving frailty and keeping their resilience in this population.

CONDENSED ABSTRACT

The handgrip strength test is a quick and inexpensive way to assess the weakness as a part of frailty. The OCEAN-Mitral Registry includes 2077 patients who had handgrip strength test before transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. Weaker handgrip strength was independently associated with all-cause mortality following TEER. Itis useful for predicting mortality because of its ease. Additionally, we saw the change in frailty assessed by handgrip strength after TEER, and therefore MR reduction ≤2+ after TEER would be important for improving frailty or keeping their resilience in this population.

CLINICAL TRIALS

OCEAN-Mitral registry (UMIN-ID: UMIN000023653).

Using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score to predict length of stay across all adult ages

BACKGROUND

Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) has recently been used to predict adverse health outcomes including length of stay (LOS) in hospital. LOS is an important indicator for patient quality of care, the measurement of hospital performance, efficiency and costs. Tools to predict LOS may enable earlier interventions in those identified at higher risk of a long stay. Previous work focused on patients over 75 years of age, but we explore the relationship between HFRS and LOS for all adults.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study using data from a large acute hospital during the period from 01/01/2010 to 30/06/2018. The study included patients aged 16 years and older. We calculated HFRS for patients who had been previously admitted to the hospital within the previous 2 years. The study developed Logistic Regression models (crude and adjusted) for nine prediction periods of LOS to assess association between (LOS and HFRS) and (LOS and Charlson Comorbidity Index-CCI), using odds ratios, and AUROC to assess model performance.

RESULTS

An increase in HFRS is associated with prolonged LOS. HFRS alone or combined with CCI were more important predictor of long LOS in most of periods to predict LOS. However, crude HFRS was superior to the models where HFRS was combined with any other variable for LOS in excess of 21 days, which had AUROCs ranging from 0·867 to 0·890. Regarding eight age groups, crude HFRS remained the first or second most effective predictor of long LOS. HFRS alone or combined with CCI was superior to other models for patients older than 44 years for all periods of LOS; whereas for patients younger than 44 years it was superior for all LOS except 45, 60, and 90 days.

CONCLUSION

This study has demonstrated the utility of HFRS to predict hospital LOS in patients across all ages.

Behaviors and influencing factors of Chinese oncology nurses towards frailty care: A cross-sectional study based on knowledge-attitude-practice theory in 2024

BACKGROUND

The demand for frailty care is continuously increasing in hospitalized tumor patients with the aging of the population. Nurses are the primary care providers of hospitalized tumor patients with frailty but research on exploring their behavior and associated factors is limited. This study aims to describe the current situation of frailty care behaviors in oncology nurses and to explore the factors influencing frailty care behaviors.

METHODS

From August 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, this cross-sectional study was conducted among nurses from oncology-related departments in 5 Secondary A (mid-tier hospitals providing comprehensive care) or above hospitals in South China. Convenience sampling was employed to recruit participants. In China, a "Secondary A hospital is a mid-tier hospital that provides comprehensive medical care and handles more complex cases than primary hospitals but is smaller and less specialized than tertiary hospitals. Data were collected using the standardized frailty-knowledge, attitudes, and practices questionnaire (F-KAP) and general information questionnaire including sociodemographic and work-related details. The sub-scale scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were calculated by summing up the items within each sub-scale. Student's independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and two kinds of multiple linear regression models were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

We included a total of 17 (3.70%) male and 443 (96.30%) female participants in this study. The mean total score of oncology nurses for frailty care behaviors was 33.26±6.61. The three lowest scoring behaviors were "conduct frailty measurements and screening for patients (3.30±1.12)", "accumulate frailty-related knowledge in daily work (3.59±0.87)", and "actively pay attention to the patient's debilitating condition". Pearson's correlations analysis showed that nursing grades (r = 0.13), frailty-related training willingness (r = 0.18), nursing frail patients experience (r = 0.22), frailty-related knowledge learning experience (r = 0.33), frailty-related training experience (r = 0.17), frailty care knowledge (r = 0.23), and hospice care attitudes (r = 0.54) were positively associated with frailty care behaviors. Two kinds of multiple linear regression models both showed that the factors most significantly associated with the oncology nurses' frailty care behaviors are their self-rated subjective knowledge and attitudes towards frailty identification.

CONCLUSION

Oncology nurses practiced relatively low-frequency frailty in daily work. Our findings provide theoretical support for improving frailty care attitudes among nurses and enhancing patient quality of life.

A high hospital frailty risk score indicates an increased risk for complications following surgical treatment of proximal humerus fractures

BACKGROUND

Approximately 70 % of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) occur after the age of 60. High complication rates have been described in correlation with the treatment of PHF. Major risk factors for the outcome might be frailty, mobility and comorbidities of patients at the time of hospital admission. The aim of this study was to create risk adjusted quality indicators for surgical treatment of proximal humerus fractures based on German claims data and to evaluate the impact of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) on risk adjustment.

METHODS

Retrospective claims data (2015-2021) were used to create risk adjusted quality indicators for eight outcomes by clustered multivariable logistic regression. The comparison of different risk adjustment model performances was done by ROC-AUC and Standardized Mortality/Morbidity Ratios.

RESULTS

In total, N = 34,912 patients (median age 75 years, 80.3 % female) were included. The most common surgical procedure was open reduction and internal fixation with plate osteosynthesis with 39.7 %, followed by reverse shoulder arthroplasty with 25.3 %. The most influential risk factor for all outcomes was a high HFRS with an Odds Ratio of 2.0 (95 %-Confidence Interval 1.8-2.3) for any secondary surgery (365 days) up to an Odds Ratio of 17.6 (95 %-Confidence Interval 14.9-20.8) for general complications during the index stay.

CONCLUSION

Comparative quality reporting for the surgical treatment of PHF appears feasible with the developed models for risk adjustment using claims data. Preoperative evaluation of HFRS in PHF can contribute to risk assessment, and individual patient management. It therefore enables personalized treatment decisions.

The Impact of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation on Health Care Costs and Clinical Outcomes Based on Frailty Risk: A Nationwide Cohort Analysis

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is preferred for treating severe aortic stenosis in older, frail populations, yet the impact of frailty on economic and clinical outcomes of TAVI is not well studied.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 2175 TAVI patients from 2015 to 2019, using Korea's National Health Insurance Service database, stratifying patients into low, intermediate, and high-frailty groups, using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS). Health care costs, admissions, and total length of hospitalization were analyzed using Wilcoxon-rank test 12 months pre- and post-TAVI. Composite endpoint of death, stroke, and major bleeding, with individual outcomes, were compared using χ2 tests and Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

Mean age was 80.2 years, and 47.3% were male; 747 (34.3%) were low frailty, 1159 (53.3%) were moderate frailty, and 269 (12.4%) were high frailty. After TAVI, medical costs decreased in the intermediate- (pre-TAVI: 2,269,000 KRW [$1668 USD], post-TAVI: 1,607,000 KRW [$1181 USD]; P < 0.001) and high-frailty groups (pre-TAVI: 3,949,000 KRW [$2904 USD], post-TAVI: 2,188,000 KRW [$1609 USD]; P < 0.001). All frailty groups had shorter length of hospital stay post-TAVI (26 to 21 days in the low-frailty, 44 to 31 days in the intermediate-frailty, and 65 to 41 days in the high-frailty group; all P <0.001). The composite outcome was higher in the frailer groups (27.8% in the low-frailty vs 31.5% in the intermediate-frailty vs 37.9% in the high-frailty group; P = 0.008). All groups showed comparable rates of cardiovascular death, stroke, or bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

TAVI is clinically viable and cost-saving treatment option for frail patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Surgery in patients with infective endocarditis and prognostic importance of patient frailty

PURPOSE

Surgery is required in 20-50% of patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Frailty increases surgical risk; however, the prognostic implications of frailty in patients undergoing IE-related surgery remain poorly understood. We aimed to assess the association between frailty and all-cause mortality or rehospitalization after discharge (≥ 14 days).

METHODS

We identified all IE patients who underwent surgery during admission (2010-2020) in Denmark. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score was used to categorize patients into two frailty risk groups, patients with low frailty scores (< 5 points) and frail patients (≥ 5 points). We analyzed time hospitalized after discharge and all-cause mortality from the date of surgery with a one-year follow-up. Statistical analyses utilized the Kaplan-Meier estimator, Aalen-Johansen estimator, and the Cox regression model.

RESULTS

We identified 1282 patients who underwent surgery during admission, of whom 967 (75.4%) had low frailty scores, and 315 (24.6%) were frail. Frail patients were characterized by advanced age, a lower proportion of males, and a higher burden of comorbidities. Frail patients were more hospitalized (> 14 days) in the first post-discharge year (19.1% vs.12.3%) compared to patients with low frailty scores. Additionally, frail patients had higher rates of all-cause mortality including in-hospital deaths (27% vs. 15%) and rehospitalizations (43.5% vs 26.1%) compared to patients with low frailty scores. This was also evident in the adjusted analysis (hazard ratio 1.36 [CI 95% 1.09-1.71]).

CONCLUSION

Frailty was associated with an ≈40% increased rate of rehospitalization (≥ 14 days) or death. Further studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of surgery with a focus on frailty to improve prognostic outcomes in these patients.

Outcomes of mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for patients with hemodynamic instability: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The outcomes after mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) for the patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) in hemodynamically unstable conditions, such as cardiogenic shock, still remain unclear. We aimed to integrate previous publications regarding M-TEER indicated for life-threatening conditions and indirectly particularly compared the short-term outcomes thereof, with that of other treatments.

METHODS

We systematically searched the PubMed, Cochrane, and MEDLINE databases for studies from inception to June 2023, regarding M-TEER in patients with hemodynamic instability and severe MR. The primary outcomes analyzed included the in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates, and peri-procedural complications.

RESULTS

Of the initial 820 publications, we conducted a meta-analysis of a total of 25 studies. The relative risk of moderate-to-severe or severe MR was 0.13 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.10-0.18, I2 = 45.2 %). The pooled in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 11.8 % (95 % CI: 8.7-15.9, I2 = 96.4 %) and 14.1 % (95 % CI: 10.9-18.3, I2 = 35.5 %), respectively. The 30-day mortality rate was statistically significantly correlated with the residual moderate-to-severe or severe MR, as per the meta-regression analysis (coefficient β = 3.48 [95 % CI: 0.99-5.97], p = 0.006). Regarding peri-procedural complications, the pooled rates of a stroke or transient ischemic attack, life-threatening or major bleeding, acute kidney injury, and peri-procedural mitral valve surgery were 2.3 % (95 % CI: 1.9-2.6), 7.6 % (95 % CI: 6.8-8.5), 32.9 % (95 % CI: 31.6-34.3), and 1.0 % (95 % CI: 0.8-1.3), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis demonstrates that the relatively higher rates of procedural complications were observed, nevertheless, M-TEER can potentially provide favorable short-term outcomes even in hemodynamically unstable patients.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42023468946.

Progression of frailty and cardiovascular outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries

BACKGROUND

Frailty is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes independent of age and comorbidities, yet the independent influence of frailty progression on cardiovascular outcomes remains uncertain.

METHODS

To determine whether frailty progression is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, independent of baseline frailty and age, we evaluated all Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries ≥65 years at cohort inception with continuous enrollment from 2003 to 2015. Linear mixed effects models, adjusted for baseline frailty and age, were used to estimate change in a validated claims-based frailty index (CFI) over a 5-year period. Survival analysis was used to examine frailty progression and risk of adverse health outcomes.

RESULTS

There were 8.9 million unique patients identified, mean age 77.3 ± 7.2 years, 58.7% female, 10.9% non-White race. In total, 60% had frailty progression and 40% frailty regression over median follow-up of 2.4 years. Compared to those with frailty regression, when adjusting for age and baseline CFI, those with frailty progression had a significantly greater risk of incident major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-1.31), all-cause mortality (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.34-1.34), acute myocardial infarction (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.07-1.09), heart failure exacerbation (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.29-1.30), ischemic stroke (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.14-1.15). There was also a graded increase in risk of each outcome with more rapid progression, as well as significantly fewer days alive at home (DAH) with more rapid progression compared to the slowest progression group (270.4 ± 112.3 vs. 308.6 ± 93.0 days, rate ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.87-0.88, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large, nationwide sample of older Medicare beneficiaries, frailty progression, independent of age and baseline frailty, was associated with fewer DAH and a graded risk of MACCE, all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and ischemic stroke compared to those with frailty regression.

Impact of Pre-Stroke Frailty on Outcome Three Years after Acute Stroke: The Nor-COAST Study

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to explore the predictive value of pre-stroke frailty index (FI) on functional dependency and mortality 3 years after stroke.

METHODS

Based on the Rockwood 36-item FI score, we calculated the pre-stroke FI from medical conditions recorded at baseline in the multicenter prospective Nor-COAST study 2015-2017. Participants with a FI score and a modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0-6 3 years post-stroke were included in this study. We used logistic regression analysis with unfavorable mRS (over 2 vs. 0-2) at 3 years, or dead within 3 years, as dependent variable, and frailty and pre-stroke mRS, one at a time, and simultaneously, as predictors. The analyses were carried out unadjusted and adjusted for the following variables one at a time: Age, sex, years of education, stroke severity at admission, infections treated with antibiotics and stroke progression. We report odds ratio (OR) per 0.10 increase in FI.

RESULTS

At baseline, the 609 included patients had mean age 72.8 (standard deviation [SD] 11.8), 261 (43%) were females, and had a FI mean score of 0.16 (SD 0.12), range 0-0.69. During 3 years, 138 (23%) had died. Both the FI, and pre-stroke mRS, were strong predictors for unfavorable mRS (OR 4.1 and 2.7) and dead within 3 years (OR 2.2 and 1.7). Only adjusting for age affected the result. The OR for pre-stroke mRS decreased relatively more than the OR for FI when entered as predictors simultaneously.

CONCLUSIONS

FI is a stronger predictor than premorbid mRS for prognostication after stroke.

Obesity Paradox in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND

Obesity paradox in cardiovascular risk prediction has gained increasing attention in recent years. We aimed to investigate the impact of BMI on mortality following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

METHODS

We performed a multi-center retrospective analysis of patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR. Patients were categorized into: Underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25), overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30) and obese (BMI ≥ 30). Multivariate cox-proportional hazard model was used to compare all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Total of 6688 patients included (175 underweight, 2252 normal weight, 2368 overweight and 1893 with obesity). Mean age of patients was 81 ± 8 years with 55% males. Patients with obesity had higher prevalence of comorbidities but a lower overall STS score. Mortality at 30-days post-TAVR was lower in the obese population compared to underweight, normal weight, and overweight patients (1.6% vs. 6.9%, 3.6%, and 2.8%, respectively, p < 0.001). Similarly, 3-year mortality was lowest in patients with obesity (17.1% vs. 28.9%, 24.5% and 18.6%, respectively, p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, long term all-cause mortality at 3-years remained significantly lower in patients with obesity compared to underweight (HR 1.74, 95% CI: 1.30-2.40, p < 0.001) and normal weight (HR: 1.41, 95% CI:1.21-1.63, p < 0.001) but not in overweight patients (HR: 1.10, 95% CI:0.94-1.28, p = 0.240).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, patients with obesity have improved short and long term mortality following TAVR with an observed progressive increase in mortality with lower BMI ranges.

Impact of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score on Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Late Elderly Patients

OBJECTIVES

Prognostic prediction using objective indices is needed to optimize the indications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We evaluated the impact of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS), an International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-based frailty index, on the prognosis after TAVR in the late elderly.

METHODS

We identified patients aged ≥75 years undergoing TAVR from April 2014 to September 2020 from the Shizuoka Kokuho Database (SKDB). Cox logistic regression analysis was performed to examine predictors of long-term mortality. We also evaluated the relationship between HFRS categories (low risk: <5, intermediate risk: 5-15, high risk: >15) and functional decline.

RESULTS

This study involved 607 patients (189 (31.1%) men) with a mean age of 85.0 years. During the median follow-up period of 20 months, survival significantly differed among HFRS categories (survival at two years; low (HFRS <5): 88.9%, intermediate (HFRS 5-15): 82.6%, high (HFRS >15): 67.7%; log-rank p = 0.002). In the multivariate regression model, male sex (hazard ratio (HR): 2.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.42-3.24), preoperative care needs level of ≥3 (HR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.17-5.06), and HFRS (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.03-1.12) were significant predictors of mortality. Functional decline-free survival significantly differed among HFRS categories (event-free survival at two years; low: 79.4%, intermediate: 75.2%, high: 50.8%; log-rank p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The HFRS is a predictor of long-term mortality after TAVR in the late elderly and is associated with postoperative functional decline. The HFRS can provide additional information for decision-making regarding treatment strategies for the late elderly.

A Comprehensive Geriatric Workup and Frailty Assessment in Older Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis

Aortic stenosis (AS) represents a notable paradigm for cardiovascular (CV) and geriatric disorders owing to comorbidity. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was initially considered a therapeutic strategy in elderly individuals deemed unsuitable for or at high risk of surgical valve replacement. The progressive improvement in TAVR technology has led to the need to refine older patients' stratification, progressively incorporating the concept of frailty and other geriatric vulnerabilities. Recognizing the intricate nature of the aging process, reliance exclusively on chronological age for stratification resulted in an initial but inadequate tool to assess both CV and non-CV risks effectively. A comprehensive geriatric evaluation should be performed before TAVR procedures, taking into account both physical and cognitive capabilities and post-procedural outcomes through a multidisciplinary framework. This review adopts a multidisciplinary perspective to delve into the diagnosis and holistic management of AS in elderly populations in order to facilitate decision-making, thereby optimizing outcomes centered around patient well-being.

Physical Frailty and the Risk of Degenerative Valvular Heart Disease

Background and Objectives

The relationship between physical frailty, age-related conditions, and the incidence of degenerative valvular heart disease (VHD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between physical frailty and the development of degenerative VHD.

Research Design and Methods

Participants from the UK Biobank who were initially free of VHD and heart failure were categorized into 3 groups based on the frailty phenotype: non-frailty, pre-frailty, and frailty. The frailty phenotype was determined by evaluating the following 5 components: weight loss, exhaustion, reduced physical activity, slow gait speed, and low grip strength. The incidence of degenerative VHD, including mitral valve regurgitation (MR), aortic valve regurgitation (AR), and aortic valve stenosis (AS), was assessed using hospital admission or death registries.

Results

Among the 331 642 participants, 11 885 (3.6%) exhibited frailty and 143 379 (43.2%) were categorized as pre-frailty. During a median follow-up of 13.8 years, there were 3 684 MR, 1 205 AR, and 3 166 AS events. Compared to non-frailty participants, those with pre-frailty and frailty showed significantly increased risks for MR (hazard ratio [HR], HRpre-frailty:1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-1.28; HRfrailty: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.30-1.74), AR (HRpre-frailty:1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.34; HRfrailty: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.22-2.04), and AS (HRpre-frailty:1.19, 95% CI: 1.11-1.29; HRfrailty: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.51-2.00). Among the 5 components, slow gait speed showed the strongest association with the risk of various types of VHD (HRMR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.34-1.65; HRAR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.24-1.80; HRAS: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.32-1.62), followed by exhaustion, low grip strength, and weight loss.

Discussion and Implications

Pre-frailty and frailty were associated with a higher risk of all 3 types of degenerative VHD. Early detection and intervention for pre-frailty and frailty in middle-aged and older individuals may assist in preventing or delaying the onset of degenerative VHD.

Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Thrombosis: Definitions, Clinical Impact, and Management: A State-of-the-Art Review

Bioprosthetic aortic valve thrombosis is frequently detected after transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement due to advances in cardiac computed tomography angiography technology and standardized surveillance protocols in low-surgical-risk transcatheter aortic valve replacement trials. However, evidence is limited concerning whether subclinical leaflet thrombosis leads to clinical adverse events or premature structural valve deterioration. Furthermore, there may be net harm in the form of bleeding from aggressive antithrombotic treatment in patients with subclinical leaflet thrombosis. This review will discuss the incidence, mechanisms, diagnosis, and optimal management of bioprosthetic aortic valve thrombosis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement and bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve replacement.

Frailty and transcatheter valve intervention: A narrative review

Frailty is a common clinical syndrome that portends poor peri-procedural outcomes and increased mortality following transcatheter valve interventions. We reviewed frailty assessment tools in transcatheter intervention cohorts to recommend a pathway for preprocedural frailty assessment in patients referred for transcatheter valve procedures, and evaluated current evidence for frailty interventions and their efficacy in transcatheter intervention. We recommend the use of a frailty screening instrument to identify patients as frail, with subsequent referral for comprehensive geriatric assessment in these patients, to assist in selecting appropriate patients and then optimizing them for transcatheter valve interventions. Interventions to reduce preprocedural frailty are not well defined, however, data from limited cohort studies support exercise-based interventions to increase functional capacity and reduce frailty in parallel with preprocedural medical optimization.

Estimated prevalence of frailty and prefrailty in patients undergoing coronary artery or valvular surgeries/procedures: A systematic review and proportional meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The aging population has led to an increasing number of older patients undergoing cardiac surgeries/procedures. Frailty and prefrailty have emerged as important prognostic indicators among these patients. This proportional meta-analysis estimated the prevalence of frailty and prefrailty among patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We searched seven electronic databases for observational studies that used validated measure(s) of frailty and reported prevalence data on frailty and/or prefrailty in older patients undergoing coronary artery or valvular surgeries or transcatheter procedures. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

One hundred and one articles involving 626,863 patients were included. The pooled prevalence rates of frailty and prefrailty were 28% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23%-33%) and 40% (95% CI: 31%-50%), respectively, for patients scheduled for open-heart surgeries and 40% (95% CI: 36%-45%) and 43% (95% CI: 34%-53%), respectively, for patients undergoing transcatheter procedures. Frailty measured using a multidimensional approach identified a higher proportion of frail patients when compared with measures solely focused on physical frailty. Older age, female sex, and lower body mass index and hemoglobin concentrations were significantly associated with higher frailty prevalence. Moreover, countries with higher gross domestic product spent on healthcare exhibited a higher frailty prevalence.

CONCLUSION

Frailty represents a considerable health challenge among patients undergoing cardiac surgeries/procedures. Routine screening for frailty should be considered during perioperative care planning.

Progression of Frailty and Cardiovascular Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries

Background

Frailty is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes independent of age and comorbidities, yet the independent influence of frailty progression remains uncertain.

Methods

Medicare Fee-for-service beneficiaries ≥ 65 years at cohort inception with continuous enrollment from 2003-2015 were included. Frailty trajectory was measured by annualized change in a validated claims-based frailty index (CFI) over a 5-year period. Linear mixed effects models, adjusting for baseline frailty, were used to estimate CFI change over a 5-year period. Survival analysis was used to evaluate associations of frailty progression and future health outcomes (major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events [MACCE], all-cause death, heart failure, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and days alive at home [DAH] within the following calendar year).

Results

26.4 million unique beneficiaries were included (mean age 75.4 ± 7.0 years, 57% female, 13% non-White). In total, 20% had frailty progression, 66% had no change in frailty, and 14% frailty regression over median follow-up of 2.4 years. Compared to those without a change in CFI, when adjusting for baseline frailty, those with frailty progression had significantly greater risk of incident MACCE (hazard ratio [HR] 2.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.30-2.31), all-cause mortality (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.58-1.59), acute myocardial infarction (HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.77-1.79), heart failure (HR 2.78, 95% CI 2.77-2.79), and stroke (HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.77-1.79). There was also a graded increase in risk of each outcome with more rapid progression and significantly fewer DAH with the most rapid vs. the slowest progression group (270.4 ± 112.3 vs. 308.6 ± 93.0 days, rate ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.87-0.88, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

In this large, nationwide sample of Medicare beneficiaries, frailty progression, independent of baseline frailty, was associated with fewer DAH and a graded risk of MACCE, all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke compared to those without progression.

Antithrombotic Therapy Following Structural Heart Disease Interventions: Current Status and Future Directions

Interventions in structural heart disease cover many catheter-based procedures for congenital and acquired conditions including valvular diseases, septal defects, arterial or venous obstructions, and fistulas. Among the available procedures, the most common are aortic valve implantation, mitral or tricuspid valve repair/implantation, left atrial appendage occlusion, and patent foramen ovale closure. Antithrombotic therapy for transcatheter structural heart disease interventions aims to prevent thromboembolic events and reduce the risk of short-term and long-term complications. The specific approach to antithrombotic therapy depends on the type of intervention and individual patient factors. In this review, we synopsize contemporary evidence on antithrombotic therapies for structural heart disease interventions and highlight the importance of a personalized approach. These recommendations may evolve over time as new evidence emerges and clinical guidelines are updated. Therefore, it's crucial for healthcare professionals to stay updated on the most recent guidelines and individualize therapy based on patient-specific factors and procedural considerations.

Development and validation of a score predicting mortality for older patients with mitral regurgitation

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a user-friendly risk score for older mitral regurgitation (MR) patients, referred to as the Elder-MR score.

METHODS

The China Senile Valvular Heart Disease (China-DVD) Cohort Study functioned as the development cohort, while the China Valvular Heart Disease (China-VHD) Study was employed for external validation. We included patients aged 60 years and above receiving medical treatment for moderate or severe MR (2274 patients in the development cohort and 1929 patients in the validation cohort). Candidate predictors were chosen using Cox's proportional hazards model and stepwise selection with Akaike's information criterion.

RESULTS

Eight predictors were identified: age ≥ 75 years, body mass index < 20 kg/m2, NYHA class III/IV, secondary MR, anemia, estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, albumin < 35 g/L, and left ventricular ejection fraction < 60%. The model displayed satisfactory performance in predicting one-year mortality in both the development cohort (C-statistic = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.69-0.77, Brier score = 0.06) and the validation cohort (C-statistic = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.68-0.78, Brier score = 0.06). The Elder-MR score ranges from 0 to 15 points. At a one-year follow-up, each point increase in the Elder-MR score represents a 1.27-fold risk of death (HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.21-1.34, P < 0.001) in the development cohort and a 1.24-fold risk of death (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.17-1.30, P < 0.001) in the validation cohort. Compared to EuroSCORE II, the Elder-MR score demonstrated superior predictive accuracy for one-year mortality in the validation cohort (C-statistic = 0.71 vs. 0.70, net reclassification improvement = 0.320, P < 0.01; integrated discrimination improvement = 0.029, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The Elder-MR score may serve as an effective risk stratification tool to assist clinical decision-making in older MR patients.

Prehabilitation in older patients prior to elective cardiac procedures (PRECOVERY): study protocol of a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of rehabilitation after a cardiovascular procedure. Especially older and multimorbid patients benefit from rehabilitation after a cardiac procedure. Prehabilitation prior to cardiac procedures may also have positive effects on patients' pre- and postoperative outcomes. Results of a current meta-analysis show that prehabilitation prior to cardiac procedures can improve perioperative outcomes and alleviate adverse effects. Germany currently lacks a structured cardiac prehabilitation program for older patients, which is coordinated across healthcare sectors.

METHODS

In a randomized, controlled, two-arm parallel group, assessor-blinded multicenter intervention trial (PRECOVERY), we will randomize 422 patients aged 75 years or older scheduled for an elective cardiac procedure (e.g., coronary artery bypass graft surgery or transcatheter aortic valve replacement). In PRECOVERY, patients randomized to the intervention group participate in a 2-week multimodal prehabilitation intervention conducted in selected cardiac-specific rehabilitation facilities. The multimodal prehabilitation includes seven modules: exercise therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive training, psychosocial intervention, disease-specific education, education with relatives, and nutritional intervention. Participants in the control group receive standard medical care. The co-primary outcomes are quality of life (QoL) and mortality after 12 months. QoL will be measured by the EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). A health economic evaluation using health insurance data will measure cost-effectiveness. A mixed-methods process evaluation will accompany the randomized, controlled trial to evaluate dose, reach, fidelity and adaptions of the intervention.

DISCUSSION

In this study, we investigate whether a tailored prehabilitation program can improve long-term survival, QoL and functional capacity. Additionally, we will analyze whether the intervention is cost-effective. This is the largest cardiac prehabilitation trial targeting the wide implementation of a new form of care for geriatric cardiac patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS; http://www.drks.de ; DRKS00030526). Registered on 30 January 2023.

Association Between Claims-Defined Frailty and Outcomes Following 30 Versus 12 Months of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Findings From the EXTEND-DAPT Study

Background Frailty is rarely assessed in clinical trials of patients who receive dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention. This study investigated whether frailty defined using claims data is associated with outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention, and if there is a differential association in patients receiving standard versus extended duration DAPT. Methods and Results Patients ≥65 years of age in the DAPT (Dual Antiplatelet Therapy) Study, a randomized trial comparing 30 versus 12 months of DAPT following percutaneous coronary intervention, had data linked to Medicare claims (n=1326), and a previously validated claims-based index was used to define frailty. Net adverse clinical events, a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and major bleeding, were compared between frail and nonfrail patients. Patients defined as frail using claims data (12.0% of the cohort) had higher incidence of net adverse clinical events (23.1%) compared with nonfrail patients (10.7%; P<0.001) at 18-month follow-up and increased risk after multivariable adjustment (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.24 [95% CI, 1.38-3.63]). There were no differences in effects of extended duration DAPT on net adverse clinical events for frail (HR, 1.42 [95% CI, 0.73-2.75]) and nonfrail patients (HR, 1.18 [95% CI, 0.83-1.68]; interaction P=0.61), although analyses were underpowered. Bleeding was highest among frail patients who received extended duration DAPT. Conclusions Among older patients in the DAPT Study, claims-defined frailty was associated with higher net adverse clinical events. Effects of extended duration DAPT were not different for frail patients, although comparisons were underpowered. Further investigation of how frailty influences ischemic and bleeding risks with DAPT are warranted. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT00977938.

Frailty, Treatments, and Outcomes in Older Patients With Myocardial Infarction: A Nationwide Registry-Based Study

Background Guidelines recommend that patients with myocardial infarction (MI) receive equal care regardless of age. However, withholding treatment may be justified in elderly and frail patients. This study aimed to investigate trends in treatments and outcomes of older patients with MI according to frailty. Methods and Results All patients aged ≥75 years with first-time MI during 2002 to 2021 were identified through Danish nationwide registries. Frailty was categorized using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score. One-year risk and hazard ratios (HRs) for days 0 to 28 and 29 to 365 were calculated for all-cause death. A total of 51 022 patients with MI were included (median, 82 years; 50.2% women). Intermediate/high frailty increased from 26.7% in 2002 to 2006 to 37.1% in 2017 to 2021. Use of treatment increased substantially regardless of frailty: for example, 28.1% to 48.0% (statins), 21.8% to 33.7% (dual antiplatelet therapy), and 7.6% to 28.0% (percutaneous coronary intervention) for high frailty (all P-trend <0.001). One-year death decreased for low frailty (35.1%-17.9%), intermediate frailty (49.8%-31.0%), and high frailty (62.8%-45.6%), all P-trend <0.001. Age- and sex-adjusted 29- to 365-day HRs (2017-2021 versus 2002-2006) were 0.53 (0.48-0.59), 0.62 (0.55-0.70), and 0.62 (0.46-0.83) for low, intermediate, and high frailty, respectively (P-interaction=0.23). When additionally adjusted for treatment, HRs attenuated to 0.74 (0.67-0.83), 0.83 (0.74-0.94), and 0.78 (0.58-1.05), respectively, indicating that increased use of treatment may account partially for the observed improvements. Conclusions Use of guideline-based treatments and outcomes improved concomitantly in older patients with MI, irrespective of frailty. These results indicate that guideline-based management of MI may be reasonable in the elderly and frail.

Assessment and Management of Older Adults Undergoing PCI, Part 1: A JACC: Advances Expert Panel

As the population ages, older adults represent an increasing proportion of patients referred to the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Older adults are the highest-risk group for morbidity and mortality, particularly after complex, high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions. Structured risk assessment plays a key role in differentiating patients who are likely to derive net benefit vs those who have disproportionate risks for harm. Conventional risk assessment tools from national cardiovascular societies typically rely on 3 pillars: 1) cardiovascular risk; 2) physiologic and hemodynamic risk; and 3) anatomic and procedural risks. We propose adding a fourth pillar: geriatric syndromes, as geriatric domains can supersede all other aspects of risk.

Frailty and Recurrent Hospitalization After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background For frail patients with limited life expectancy, time in hospital following transcatheter aortic valve replacement is an important measure of quality of life; however, data remain scarce. Thus, we aimed to investigate frailty and its relation to time in hospital during the first year after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Methods and Results From 2008 to 2020, all Danish patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement and were alive at discharge were included. Using the validated Hospital Frailty Risk Score, patients were categorized in the low, intermediate, and high frailty groups. Time in hospital and mortality up to 1 year are reported according to frailty groups. In total, 3437 (57.6%), 2277 (38.1%), and 257 (4.3%) were categorized in the low, intermediate, and high frailty groups, respectively. Median age was ≈81 years. Female sex and comorbidity burden were incrementally higher across frailty groups (low frailty: heart failure, 24.1%; stroke, 7.2%; and chronic kidney disease, 4.5%; versus high frailty: heart failure, 42.8%; stroke, 34.2%; and chronic kidney disease, 29.2%). In the low frailty group, 50.5% survived 1 year without a hospital admission, 10.8% were hospitalized >15 days, and 5.8% of patients died. By contrast, 26.1% of patients in the high frailty group survived 1 year without a hospital admission, 26.4% were hospitalized >15 days, and 15.6% died within 1 year. Differences persisted in models adjusted for sex, age, frailty, and comorbidity burden (excluding overlapping comorbidities). Conclusions Among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, frailty is strongly associated with time in hospital and mortality. Prevention strategies for frail patients to reduce hospitalization burden could be beneficial.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement in Patients with Mitral Annular Calcification: A Review

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a progressive degenerative calcification of the mitral valve (MV) that is associated with mitral stenosis, regurgitation or both. Patients with MAC are poor candidates for MV surgery because of technical challenges and high peri-operative mortality. Transcatheter MV replacement (TMVR) has emerged as an option for such high surgical risk patients. This has been described with the use of the SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve (valve-in-MAC) and dedicated TMVR devices. Careful anatomic assessment is important to avoid complications of TMVR, such as left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, valve migration, embolization and paravalvular mitral regurgitation. In this review, we discuss the pathology, importance of preprocedural multimodality imaging for optimal patient selection, clinical outcomes and complications associated with TMVR in patients with MAC.

Postoperative delirium after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

To perform an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of postoperative delirium (POD) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from the time of the first human TAVR procedure in 2002 until December 24, 2021, which was supplemented by manual searches of bibliographies. Data were collected on incidence rates, risk factors, and/or associated mortality of POD after TAVR. Pooled analyses were conducted using random effects models to yield mean differences, odds ratios, hazard ratios, and risk ratios, with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

A total of 70 articles (69 studies) comprising 413,389 patients were included. The study heterogeneity was substantial. The pooled mean incidence of POD after TAVR in all included studies was 9.8% (95% CI: 8.7%-11.0%), whereas that in studies using validated tools to assess for delirium at least once a day for at least 2 consecutive days after TAVR was 20.7% (95% CI: 17.8%-23.7%). According to the level of evidence and results of meta-analysis, independent preoperative risk factors with a high level of evidence included increased age, male sex, prior stroke or transient ischemic attack, atrial fibrillation/flutter, weight loss, electrolyte abnormality, and impaired Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; intraoperative risk factors included non-transfemoral access and general anesthesia; and acute kidney injury was a postoperative risk factor. POD after TAVR was associated with significantly increased mortality (pooled unadjusted RR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.79-2.71; pooled adjusted RR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.25-2.10), particularly long-term mortality (pooled unadjusted HR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.91-4.23; pooled adjusted HR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.30-2.73).

CONCLUSIONS

POD after TAVR is common and is associated with an increased risk of mortality. Accurate identification of risk factors for POD after TAVR and implementation of preventive measures are critical to improve prognosis.

Association between Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and clinical presentation and outcomes in older inpatients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a physiological condition characterized by a decreased reserve to stressors. In patients with COVID-19, frailty is a risk factor for in-hospital mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between clinical presentation, analytical and radiological parameters at admission, and clinical outcomes according to frailty, as defined by the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), in old people hospitalized with COVID-19.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included people aged 65 years and older and admitted with community-acquired COVID-19 from 3 March 2020 to 31 April 2021. Patients were categorized using the CFS. Primary outcomes were symptoms of COVID-19 prior to admission, mortality, readmission, admission in intensive care unit (ICU), and need for invasive mechanical ventilation. Analysis of clinical symptoms, clinical outcomes, and CFS was performed using multivariable logistic regression, and results were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Of the 785 included patients, 326 (41.5%, 95% CI 38.1%-45.0%) were defined as frail (CFS ≥ 5 points): 208 (26.5%, 95% CI 23.5%-29.7%) presented mild-moderate frailty (CFS 5-6 points) and 118 (15.0%, 95% CI 12.7%-17.7%), severe frailty (7-9 points). After adjusting for epidemiological variables (age, gender, residence in a nursing home, and Charlson comorbidity index), frail patients were significantly less likely to present dry cough (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.83), myalgia-arthralgia (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29-0.75), and anosmia-dysgeusia (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23-0.94). Confusion was more common in severely frail patients (OR 3.14; 95% CI 1.64-5.97). After adjusting for epidemiological variables, the risk of in-hospital mortality was higher in frail patients (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.79-4.25), including both those with mild-moderate frailty (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.23-3.19) and severe frailty (OR 5.44, 95% CI 3.14-9.42). Readmission was higher in frail patients (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.07-4.16), but only in mild-moderate frailty (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.17-4.75)..

CONCLUSION

Frail patients presented atypical symptoms (less dry cough, myalgia-arthralgia, and anosmia-dysgeusia, and more confusion). Frailty was an independent predictor for death, regardless of severity, and mild-moderate frailty was associated with readmission.

The Relationship Between Preoperative Frailty Risk as Assessed by the Hospital Frailty Risk Score and the Outcome at Discharge in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination Database

The relationship between the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS)-based frailty risk and outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is yet unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between preoperative frailty risk as assessed by the HFRS and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing CABG. This observational study used the diagnosis procedure combination (DPC) system in Japan (2014-2017). In total, 35,015 adults aged ≥ 65 years and diagnosed with angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction who had undergone CABG were enrolled. We investigated the association between the HFRS-based frailty risk and the home discharge rate, as well as the prevalence of complications. Multilevel logistic regression analysis revealed that having an HFRS ≥ 5 was a determinant of lower home discharge rate (odds ratio [OR] 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49-0.74, P <0.01), aspiration pneumonia (OR 2.25, 95%CI 1.27-3.96, P <0.01) and disuse syndrome (OR 1.90, 95%CI 1.23-2.94, P <0.01). Preoperative stratification of frailty risk using HFRS may help in predicting postoperative progress and in planning postoperative rehabilitation.

Performance of administrative database frailty instruments in predicting clinical outcomes and cost for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a historical cohort study

PURPOSE

Frailty instruments may improve prognostic estimates for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Few studies have evaluated and compared the performance of administrative database frailty instruments for patients undergoing TAVI. This study aimed to examine the performance of administrative database frailty instruments in predicting clinical outcomes and costs in patients who underwent TAVI.

METHODS

We conducted a historical cohort study of 3,848 patients aged 66 yr or older who underwent a TAVI procedure in Ontario, Canada from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2018. We used the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Group (ACG) frailty indicator and the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) to assign frailty status. Outcomes of interest were in-hospital mortality, one-year mortality, rehospitalization, and healthcare costs. We compared the performance of the two frailty instruments with that of a reference model that adjusted baseline covariates and procedural characteristics. Accuracy measures included c-statistics, Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), net reclassification index (NRI), bias, and accuracy of cost estimates.

RESULTS

A total of 863 patients (22.4%) were identified as frail using the Johns Hopkins ACG frailty indicator and 865 (22.5%) were identified as frail using the HFRS. Although agreement between the frailty instruments was fair (Kappa statistic = 0.322), each instrument classified different subgroups as frail. Both the Johns Hopkins ACG frailty indicator (rate ratio [RR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.20) and the HFRS (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.21) were significantly associated with increased one-year costs. Compared with the reference model, both the Johns Hopkins ACG frailty indicator and HFRS significantly improved NRI for one-year mortality (Johns Hopkins ACG frailty indicator: NRI, 0.160; P < 0.001; HFRS: NRI, 0.146; P = 0.001) and rehospitalization (Johns Hopkins ACG frailty indicator: NRI, 0.201; P < 0.001; HFRS: NRI, 0.141; P = 0.001). These improvements in NRI largely resulted from classification improvement among those who did not experience the event. With one-year mortality, there was a significant improvement in IDI (IDI, 0.003; P < 0.001) with the Johns Hopkins ACG frailty indicator. This improvement in performance resulted from an increase in the mean probability of the event among those with the event.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative frailty assessment may add some predictive value for TAVI outcomes. Use of administrative database frailty instruments may provide small but significant improvements in case-mix adjustment when profiling hospitals for certain outcomes.

Clinical outcomes and cumulative healthcare costs of TAVR vs. SAVR in Asia

Objectives

This study compared transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in terms of short- and long-term effectiveness.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study based on nationwide National Health Insurance claims data and Cause of Death data focused on adult patients (n = 3,643) who received SAVR (79%) or TAVR (21%) between 2015 and 2019. Propensity score overlap weighting was applied to account for selection bias. Primary outcomes included all-cause mortality (ACM), hospitalization for heart failure, and a composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Secondary outcomes included medical utilization, hospital stay, and total medical costs at index admission for the procedure and in various post-procedure periods. The Cox proportional-hazard model with competing risk was used to investigate survival and incidental health outcomes. Generalized estimation equation (GEE) models were used to estimate differences in the utilization of medical resources and overall costs.

Results

After weighting, the mean age of the patients was 77.98 ± 5.86 years in the TAVR group and 77.98 ± 2.55 years in the SAVR group. More than half of the patients were female (53.94%). The incidence of negative outcomes was lower in the TAVR group than in the SAVR group, including 1-year ACM (11.39 vs. 17.98%) and 3-year ACM (15.77 vs. 23.85%). The risk of ACM was lower in the TAVR group (HR [95% CI]: 0.61 [0.44–0.84]; P = 0.002) as was the risk of CV death (HR [95% CI]: 0.47 [0.30–0.74]; P = 0.001) or MACE (HR [95% CI]: 0.66 [0.46–0.96]; P = 0.0274). Total medical costs were significantly higher in the TAVR group than in the SAVR in the first year after the procedure ($1,271.89 ± 4,048.36 vs. $887.20 ± 978.51; P = 0.0266); however, costs were similar in the second and third years after the procedure. The cumulative total medical costs after the procedure were significantly higher in the TAVR group than in the SAVR group (adjusted difference: $420.49 ± 176.48; P = 0.0172).

Conclusion

In this real-world cohort of patients with aortic stenosis, TAVR proved superior to SAVR in terms of clinical outcomes and survival with comparable medical utilization after the procedure.

Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Valve Replacement or Repair

Background We sought to examine outcomes of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus warfarin in atrial fibrillation with valve repair/replacement. Methods and Results Two atrial fibrillation cohorts from Medicare were identified from 2015 to 2019. They comprised patients who underwent surgical or transcatheter mitral valve repair (MV repair cohort) and surgical aortic or mitral bioprosthetic or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (bioprosthetic cohort). Each cohort was divided into warfarin and DOACs (apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran) groups. Study outcomes included mortality, stroke, and major bleeding. Inverse probability weighting was used for adjustment between the 2 groups in each cohort. The MV repair cohort included 1178 patients. After a median of 468 days, DOACs were associated with lower risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.67 [95% CI, 0.55-0.82], P<0.001), ischemic stroke (HR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.52-1.00], P=0.05) and bleeding (HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.63-0.99], P=0.04) compared with warfarin. The bioprosthetic cohort included 8089 patients. After a median follow-up of 413 days, DOACs were associated with similar risk of mortality (adjusted HR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.86-1.01], P=0.08), higher risk of ischemic stroke (adjusted HR, 1.27 [95% CI, 1.13-1.43], P<0.001), and lower risk of bleeding (adjusted HR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.80-0.93], P<0.001) compared with warfarin. Conclusions In patients with atrial fibrillation, DOACs are associated with similar mortality, lower bleeding, but higher stroke with bioprosthetic valve replacement and lower risk of all 3 outcomes with MV repair compared with warfarin.

Frailty in patients undergoing percutaneous left atrial appendage closure

BACKGROUND

Frailty is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in older adults. Whether frailty predicts adverse outcomes after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between frailty and clinical outcomes after percutaneous LAAC.

METHODS

We identified patients 65 years and older in Medicare fee-for-service claims who underwent LAAC between October 1, 2016, and December 31, 2019. Patients were identified as frail on the basis of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS), a validated frailty measure centered on health resource utilization, with the cohort stratified into low (<5), intermediate (5-15), and high (>15) risk groups.

RESULTS

Of the 21,787 patients who underwent LAAC, 10,740 (49.3%) were considered frail (HFRS >5), including 3441 (15.8%) in the high-risk group. The mortality rate (up to 1095 days) were 16.1% in the low-risk group, 26.7% in the intermediate-risk group, and 41.1% in the high-risk group (P < .001). After adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities, HFRS >15 (compared with HFRS <5) was associated with a higher risk of long hospital stay (odds ratio [OR] 8.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.94-11.57), 30-day readmission (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.58-2.05), 30-day mortality (OR 5.68, 95% CI 3.40-9.40), and 1-year mortality (OR 2.83, 95% CI 2.39-3.35). In restricted cubic spline models, the adjusted OR for all outcomes monotonically increased with increasing HFRS.

CONCLUSION

Frailty is common in patients undergoing LAAC and is associated with increased risks of long hospital stay, readmissions, and short-term mortality.

Risk-related short-term clinical outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation and their impact on early mortality: an analysis of claims-based data from Germany

Objectives

We aimed to define and assess risk-specific adverse outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in an all-comers patient population based on German administrative claims data.

Methods

Administrative claims data of patients undergoing transvascular TAVI between 2017 and 2019 derived from the largest provider of statutory health-care insurance in Germany were used. Patients’ risk profile was assessed using the established Hospital Frailty Risk (HFR) score and 30-day adverse events were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to investigate the relation of patients’ risk factors to clinical outcomes and, subsequently, of clinical outcomes to mortality.

Results

A total of 21,430 patients were included in the analysis. Of those, 51% were categorized as low-, 37% as intermediate-, and 12% as high-risk TAVI patients according to HFR score. Whereas low-risk TAVI patients showed low rates of periprocedural adverse events, TAVI patients at intermediate or high risk suffered from worse outcomes. An increase in HFR score was associated with an increased risk for all adverse outcome measures. The strongest association of patients’ risk profile and outcome was present for cerebrovascular events and acute renal failure after TAVI. Independent of patients’ risk, the latter showed the strongest relation with early mortality after TAVI.

Conclusions

Differentiated outcomes after TAVI can be assessed using claims-based data and are highly dependent on patients’ risk profile. The present study might be of use to define risk-adjusted outcome margins for TAVI patients in Germany on the basis of health-insurance data.

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00392-022-02009-y.

Assessment of coding-based frailty algorithms for long-term outcome prediction among older people in community settings: a cohort study from the Shizuoka Kokuho Database

OBJECTIVES

To assess the applicability of Electronic Frailty Index (eFI) and Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) algorithms to Japanese administrative claims data and to evaluate their association with long-term outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

A cohort study using a regional government administrative healthcare and long-term care (LTC) claims database in Japan 2014-18.

PARTICIPANTS

Plan enrollees aged ≥50 years.

METHODS

We applied the two algorithms to the cohort and assessed the scores' distributions alongside enrollees' 4-year mortality and initiation of government-supported LTC. Using Cox regression and Fine-Gray models, we evaluated the association between frailty scores and outcomes as well as the models' discriminatory ability.

RESULTS

Among 827,744 enrollees, 42.8% were categorised by eFI as fit, 31.2% mild, 17.5% moderate and 8.5% severe. For HFRS, 73.0% were low, 24.3% intermediate and 2.7% high risk; 35 of 36 predictors for eFI, and 92 of 109 codes originally used for HFRS were available in the Japanese system. Relative to the lowest frailty group, the highest frailty group had hazard ratios [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 2.09 (1.98-2.21) for mortality and 2.45 (2.28-2.63) for LTC for eFI; those for HFRS were 3.79 (3.56-4.03) and 3.31 (2.87-3.82), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curves for the unadjusted model at 48 months was 0.68 for death and 0.68 for LTC for eFI, and 0.73 and 0.70, respectively, for HFRS.

CONCLUSIONS

The frailty algorithms were applicable to the Japanese system and could contribute to the identifications of enrollees at risk of long-term mortality or LTC use.

Contemporary Costs Associated With Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Medicare Beneficiaries

BACKGROUND

In patients with severe aortic stenosis, treatment with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been shown to be cost-effective in the high-risk surgical population and cost-saving in the intermediate-risk population when compared with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in early pivotal clinical trials. Whether TAVR is associated with comparable or lower costs when compared with SAVR in contemporary clinical practice is unknown.

METHODS

Using data from the Medicare Dataset Standard Analytic Files 5% Fee for Service database, patients receiving either TAVR or SAVR between 2016 and 2018 were identified. Patients were categorized as low, intermediate, or high mortality risk based on 2 validated indices-the Hospital Frailty Risk Score and the logEuroScore. Health care costs out to 1 year were compared between TAVR and SAVR among the low, intermediate, and high-risk groups, after adjustment for patient demographics.

RESULTS

Nine thousand seven hundred forty-six patients were identified (4834 TAVR; 3760 SAVR) and included in the analysis. Patients receiving TAVR were older and more likely to be female. Index hospitalization costs were significantly lower with TAVR compared with SAVR across all risk strata (logEuroScore: low: $61 845 versus $68 986; intermediate: $64 658 versus $76 965; high: $65 594 versus $91 005; P<0.001 for all). Follow-up costs through 1 year were generally lower with TAVR and this difference was more pronounced in the low risk groups (logEuroScore: $9763 versus $14 073; Hospital Frailty Risk Score: $10 116 versus $12 880). Accordingly, cumulative 1-year costs were substantially lower with TAVR compared with SAVR.

CONCLUSIONS

At 1 year, TAVR is associated with lower health care costs across all risk strata when compared with SAVR in contemporary practice. If long-term data continue to demonstrate similar clinical outcomes and valve durability with TAVR and SAVR, these findings suggest that TAVR may be the preferred treatment strategy for patients with aortic stenosis from an economic standpoint.

Frailty and cardiac surgery: to operate or not?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

With an aging cardiac surgery population, prefrail and frail patients are becoming more common. Anesthesiologists will be faced with the decision of how best to provide care to frail patients. Identification, management, and outcomes in frail patients will be discussed in this review.

RECENT FINDINGS

Frailty is associated with a variety of poor outcomes, such as increased hospital length of stay, medical resource utilization, readmission rates, and mortality. Prehabilitation may play a greater role in the management of frail cardiac surgery patients.

SUMMARY

As frailty will likely only increase amongst cardiac surgery patients, it is important to develop multicenter trials to study management and treatment options. Until those studies are performed, the care of frail cardiac surgery patients may be best provided by high-volume surgical centers with expertise in the management of frail patients.

Risk-Adjusted, 30-Day Home Time After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement as a Hospital-Level Performance Metric

BACKGROUND

Patient-centric measures of hospital performance for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are needed.

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated 30-day, risk-adjusted home time as a hospital performance metric for patients who underwent TAVR.

METHODS

This study identified 160,792 Medicare beneficiaries who underwent elective TAVR from 2015 to 2019. Home time was calculated for each patient as the number of days alive and spent outside the hospital, skilled nursing facility (SNF), and long-term acute care facility for 30 days after the TAVR procedure date. Correlations between risk-adjusted, 30-day home time and other metrics (30-day, risk-adjusted readmission rate [RSRR], 30-day, risk-adjusted mortality rate [RSMR], and annual TAVR volume) were estimated using Pearson's correlation. Meaningful upward or downward reclassification (≥2 quartile ranks) in hospital performance based on quartiles of risk-adjusted, 30-day home time compared with quartiles of other measures were assessed.

RESULTS

Median risk-adjusted, 30-day home time was 27.4 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 26.3-28.5 days). The largest proportion of days lost from 30-day home time was hospital stay after TAVR and SNF stay. An inverse correlation was observed between hospital-level, risk-adjusted, 30-day home time and 30-day RSRR (r = -0.465; P < 0.001) and 30-day RSMR (r = -0.3996; P < 0.001). The use of the 30-day, risk-adjusted home time was associated with reclassification in hospital performance rank hospitals compared with other metrics (9.1% up-classified, 11.2% down-classified vs RSRR; 9.1% up-classified, 10.3% down-classified vs RSMR; and 20.1% up-classified, 19.3% down-classified vs annual TAVR volume).

CONCLUSIONS

Risk-adjusted, 30-day home time represents a novel patient-centered performance metric for TAVR hospitals that may provide a complimentary assessment to currently used metrics.

30-Day and 1-Year Outcomes With HYDRA Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve: The Hydra CE Study

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to evaluate the 30-day and 1-year safety and performance of the Hydra transcatheter aortic valve (THV) (in the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis in patients at high or extreme surgical risk.

BACKGROUND

The Hydra THV is a novel repositionable self-expanding system with supra-annular bovine pericardial leaflets.

METHODS

The Hydra CE study was a premarket, prospective, multicenter, single-arm study conducted across 18 study centers in Europe and Asia-Pacific countries. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 30 days. All endpoints were adjudicated by an independent clinical events committee.

RESULTS

A total of 157 patients (79.2 ± 7.1 years of age, 58.6% female; Society of Thoracic Surgeons score 4.7 ± 3.4%) were enrolled. Successful implantation was achieved in 94.3% cases. At 30 days, there were 11 (7.0%) deaths, including 9 (5.7%) cardiovascular deaths, of which 5 (3.2%) were device related. At 1 year, there were 23 (14.6%) deaths, including 13 (8.3%) cardiovascular deaths. At 30 days, there were significant improvement of effective orifice area (from 0.7 ± 0.2 cm² to 1.9 ± 0.6 cm²) and mean aortic valve gradient (from 49.5 ± 18.5 mm Hg to 8.1 ± 3.7 mm Hg), which were sustained up to 1 year. Moderate or severe paravalvular leak was observed in 6.3% of patients at 30 days and 6.9% of patients at 1 year. The rate of new permanent pacemaker implantation was 11.7% at 30 days and 12.4% at 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

The Hydra CE study demonstrated that transcatheter aortic valve replacement with Hydra THV offered favorable efficacy at 1 year, providing large effective orifice area and low transvalvular gradient as well as acceptable complication rates with regard to new permanent pacemaker and paravalvular leak. (A Clinical Evaluation of the HYDRA Self Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve; NCT02434263).

Trends in transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement in the United States, 2008-2018

We conducted a retrospective study using the NIS database from 2008 to 2018 to examine the most contemporary national hospitalization trends of transcatheter (TAVR) and surgical (SAVR) aortic valve replacement regarding volume, patient and hospital demographics and economics, resource utilization, total cost of stay, and in-hospital mortality. We demonstrate that TAVR procedures have been performed on a slow by steadily diversifying patient population while volume has grown significantly, while in-hospital mortality, length of stay, discharge home, and costs have improved, whereas these metrics have generally remained stable for SAVR. These trends will likely drive continued TAVR adoption, greatly expanding the overall aortic stenosis patient population eligible for AVR.

Beyond the revised cardiac risk index: Validation of the hospital frailty risk score in non-cardiac surgery

Frailty is an established risk factor for adverse outcomes following non-cardiac surgery. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a recently described frailty assessment tool that harnesses administrative data and is composed of 109 International Classification of Disease variables. We aimed to examine the incremental prognostic utility of the HFRS in a generalizable surgical population. Using linked administrative databases, a retrospective cohort of patients admitted for non-cardiac surgery between October 1st, 2008 and September 30th, 2019 in Alberta, Canada was created. Our primary outcome was a composite of death, myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest at 30-days. Multivariable logistic regression was undertaken to assess the impact of HFRS on outcomes after adjusting for age, sex, components of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) and peri-operative biomarkers. The final cohort consisted of 712,808 non-cardiac surgeries, of which 55·1% were female and the average age was 53·4 +/- 22·4 years. Using the HFRS, 86.3% were considered low risk, 10·7% were considered intermediate risk and 3·1% were considered high risk for frailty. Intermediate and high HFRS scores were associated with increased risk of the primary outcome with an adjusted odds ratio of 1·61 (95% CI 1·50-1.74) and 1·55 (95% CI 1·38-1·73). Intermediate and high HFRS were also associated with increased adjusted odds of prolonged hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, and 1-year mortality. The HFRS is a minimally onerous frailty assessment tool that can complement perioperative risk stratification in identifying patients at high risk of short- and long-term adverse events.