One-year follow-up of conduction disturbances following transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Conduction dynamics over time after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: An expert review

New conduction disorders remain a frequent complication in current transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) era. Left bundle branch block (LBBB) occurs early in about 20-30 % of TAVR-patients, persists at 1 month in about 35-45 % of cases and will likely remain thereafter. Third-degree atrioventricular block (AV3B) affects approximately 15 % of patients. Pacemaker dependency gradually decreases throughout follow-up and approximately 25-35 % of patients remain pacemaker dependent at one year. We aimed to review what is currently known about the dynamics of acquired conduction disorders, including extraction of predictors, and how to interpret these dynamics in light of an early discharge policy.

Predictors for the risk of permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a less invasive treatment than surgery for severe aortic stenosis. However, its use is restricted by the fact that many patients eventually require permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI). This meta-analysis was performed to identify predictors of post-TAVR PPMI.

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched. Relevant studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the pooling analysis after quality assessment.

RESULTS

After pooling 67 studies on post-TAVR PPMI risk in 97,294 patients, balloon-expandable valve use was negatively correlated with PPMI risk compared with self-expandable valve (SEV) use (odds ratio [OR]: 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37-0.53). Meta-regression analysis revealed that history of coronary artery bypass grafting and higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk score increased the risk of PPMI with SEV utilization. Patients with pre-existing cardiac conduction abnormalities in 28 pooled studies also had a higher risk of PPMI (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.90-2.86). Right bundle branch block (OR: 5.2, 95% CI: 4.37-6.18) and first-degree atrioventricular block (OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.38-2.79) also increased PPMI risk. Although the trans-femoral approach was positively correlated with PPMI risk, the trans-apical pathway showed no statistical difference to the trans-femoral pathway. The approach did not increase PPMI risk in patients with STS scores >8. Patient-prosthesis mismatch did not influence post-TAVR PPMI risk (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.67-1.16). We also analyzed implantation depth and found no difference between patients with PPMI after TAVR and those without.

CONCLUSIONS

SEV selection, pre-existing cardiac conduction abnormality, and trans-femoral pathway selection are positively correlated with PPMI after TAVR. Pre-existing left bundle branch block, patient-prosthesis mismatch, and implantation depth did not affect the risk of PPMI after TAVR.

Predictors of pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation according to kind of prosthesis and risk profile: a systematic review and contemporary meta-analysis

AIMS

Permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) may be required after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Evidence on PPI prediction has largely been gathered from high-risk patients receiving first-generation valve implants. We undertook a meta-analysis of the existing literature to examine the incidence and predictors of PPI after TAVI according to generation of valve, valve type, and surgical risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We made a systematic literature search for studies with ≥100 patients reporting the incidence and adjusted predictors of PPI after TAVI. Subgroup analyses examined these features according to generation of valve, specific valve type, and surgical risk. We obtained data from 43 studies, encompassing 29 113 patients. Permanent pacemaker implantation rates ranged from 6.7% to 39.2% in individual studies with a pooled incidence of 19% (95% CI 16-21). Independent predictors for PPI were age [odds ratio (OR) 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.09], left bundle branch block (LBBB) (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.12-1.77), right bundle branch block (RBBB) (OR 4.15, 95% CI 3.23-4.88), implantation depth (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11-1.26), and self-expanding valve prosthesis (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.39-4.59). Among subgroups analysed according to valve type, valve generation and surgical risk, independent predictors were RBBB, self-expanding valve type, first-degree atrioventricular block, and implantation depth.

CONCLUSIONS

The principle independent predictors for PPI following TAVI are age, RBBB, LBBB, self-expanding valve type, and valve implantation depth. These characteristics should be taken into account in pre-procedural assessment to reduce PPI rates. PROSPERO ID CRD42020164043.

Rate and Predictors of Permanent Pacemaker Implantation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Current Status

Transcather aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a safe and indispensable treatment option for patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who are at high surgical risk. Recently, outcomes after TAVI have improved significantly and TAVI has emerged as a qualified alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement in the treatment of intermediate risk patients and greater adoption of this procedure is to be expected in a wider patients population, including younger patients and low surgical risk patients. However since the aortic valve has close spatial proximity to the conduction system, conduction anomalies are frequently observed in TAVI. In this article, we aim to review the key aspects of pathophysiology, current incidence, predictors and clinical association of conduction anomalies following TAVI.

Conduction disturbances after transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures - predictors and management

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a safe and efficient alternative to cardiac surgery in patients with severe aortic stenosis. In many countries the number of performed TAVI procedures equals the number of surgical implantations. Indications for TAVI are becoming more liberal, allowing a wider spectrum of patients to benefit from the advantages of transcatheter therapy. Due to its invasive nature, TAVI is associated with some complications such as conduction disturbances. Although these disturbances are usually not lethal, they have a great influence on patients’ state and long term-survival. The most relevant and common are His’ bundle branch blocks, atrioventricular blocks, and need for permanent pacemaker implantation. With the frequency at 10% to even 50%, conduction abnormalities are among the most important TAVI-related adverse events. Risk factors for conduction disturbances include age, anatomy of the heart, periprocedural factors, type of implanted valve, and comorbidities. Severity of occurring complications varies; therefore selection of a proper treatment approach is required. Considered as the most effective management, permanent pacemaker implantation turned out to negatively influence both recovery and survival. Moreover, there is no expert consensus on use of resynchronization therapy after TAVI. In this paper, the authors present a comprehensive analysis of the most common conduction disturbances accompanying TAVI, factors related to their occurrence, and treatment approach.

Early and mid-term outcomes of 1904 patients undergoing transcatheter balloon-expandable valve implantation in Italy: results from the Italian Transcatheter Balloon-Expandable Valve Implantation Registry (ITER)

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this multicentre study is to report the clinical experiences of all patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with a balloon-expandable device in Italy.

METHODS

The Italian Transcatheter balloon-Expandable valve Registry (ITER) is a real-world registry that includes patients who have undergone TAVI with the Sapien (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) bioprosthesis in Italy since it became available in clinical practice. From 2007 to 2012, 1904 patients were enrolled to undergo TAVI in 33 Italian centres. Outcomes were classified according to the updated Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC-2) definitions. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Mean age was 81.7 (SD:6.2) years, and 1147 (60.2%) patients were female. Mean Logistic EuroSCORE was 21.1% (SD:13.7). Transfemoral, transapical, transaortic and transaxillary TAVI was performed in 1252 (65.8%), 630 (33.1%), 18 (0.9%) and 4 (0.2%) patients, respectively. Operative mortality was 7.2% (137 patients). The VARC-2 outcomes were as follows: device success, 88.1%; disabling stroke, 1.0%; life-threatening and major bleeding 9.8 and 10.5%, respectively; major vascular complication, 9.7%; acute kidney injury, 8.2%; acute myocardial infarction ≤72 h, 1.5%. Perioperative pacemaker implantation was necessary in 116 (6.1%) patients. At discharge, the mean transprosthetic gradient was 10.7 (SD:4.5) mmHg. Incidence of postoperative mild, moderate or severe paravalvular leak was, respectively, 32.1, 5.0 and 0.4%. A total of 444/1767 (25.1%) deaths after hospital discharge were reported: of these, 168 (37.8%) were classified as cardiac death. Preoperative independent predictors of all-cause mortality were male gender (HR: 1.395; 95% CI:1.052-1.849); overweight, BMI 25-30 kg/m² (HR: 0.775; 95% CI: 0.616-0.974); serum creatinine level (every 1 mg/dl increase; HR: 1.314; 95% CI:1.167-1.480); haemoglobin level (every 1 g/dl increase; HR: 0.905; 95% CI:0.833-0.984); critical preoperative state (HR: 2.282; 95% CI: 1.384-3.761); neurological dysfunction (HR: 1.552; 95% CI:1.060-2.272); atrial fibrillation (HR: 1.556; 95% CI:1.213-1.995); pacemaker rhythm (HR: 1.948; 95% CI:1.310-2.896); NYHA Class III or IV (HR: 1.800; 95% CI:1.205-2.689 or HR: 2.331; 95% CI:1.392-3.903, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

TAVI with a balloon-expandable device in the 'real world' shows good mid-term outcomes in terms of survival, technical success, valve-related adverse events and haemodynamic performance.