Comparative Outcomes of TAVR in Mixed Aortic Valve Disease and Aortic Stenosis: A Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a suitable alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). A high proportion of patients with AS have mixed aortic valve disease (MAVD) with mild or more concurrent aortic regurgitation (AR). Differential outcomes of TAVR among patients with AS and MAVD have not been well characterized. We compared 1-year mortalities following TAVR among patients with MAVD and AS.

METHODS

We conducted a meta-analysis of studies published in PubMed/Medline. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality following TAVR among patients with MAVD vs. AS. Secondary endpoints were: (1) incidence of AR within 30 days following TAVR (post TAVR AR); and (2) 1-year all-cause mortality within each group stratified according to severity of post TAVR AR.

RESULTS

Nine studies involving 9505 participants were included in the analysis. At 1 year following TAVR, mortality was lower in MAVD than in AS; HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.98. The mortality advantage increased when pre-TAVR AR was moderate or more; HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72-0.99. The mortality advantage was attenuated after correction for publication bias. There was a higher risk of post TAVR AR in the MAVD group; OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.20-1.90 but the impact on mortality of moderate vs. mild post TAVR AR was greater among patients with AS than in patients with MAVD HR 1.67 95% CI 0.89-3.14 vs. 0.93 95% CI 0.47-1.85.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with MAVD have similar or improved survival 1 year after TAVR compared to those with AS.

Changes in Carotid Duplex Ultrasound Velocities After Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis

OBJECTIVES

The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) obtained by carotid duplex ultrasound (CDU) imaging of the internal carotid arteries (ICAs) are parameters used to determine the severity of ICA stenosis. Severe aortic stenosis (AS) results in a parvus-et-tardus pattern on spectral Doppler waveforms; however, the impact of severe AS on CDU velocities is unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of severe AS on CDU velocities by evaluating changes in CDU velocities before and after aortic valve replacement (AVR) METHODS: A single-center retrospective review of patients with severe AS who underwent surgical AVR and who had preoperative and postoperative CDU examinations performed within 12 months of each other was conducted. Patients with any carotid intervention between the preoperative and postoperative CDU were excluded.

RESULTS

We identified 92 patients who satisfied all inclusion criteria. The mean age was 72.2 years; 71.7% were men; the mean preoperative aortic valve area ± SD was 0.8 ± 0.2 cm² ; and the mean time from preoperative to postoperative AVR CDU was 182.3 ± 98.4 days. The peak aortic valve gradient decreased from 62.5 to 22.0 mm Hg after AVR (P < .001); however, there were no significant changes in the PSV or EDV in either the right or left ICA.

CONCLUSIONS

Although severe AS may cause characteristic changes in the spectral Doppler waveform on CDU imaging, there is no significant effect on the ICA PSV or EDV. Adjustments in velocity criteria to determine the degree of carotid artery stenosis in patients with substantial AS may not be necessary.

Epidemiology of fibromuscular dysplasia: A review of the literature

Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a non-atherosclerotic, non-inflammatory disease of medium sized arteries that has been described in multiple anatomic territories with a wide variety of manifestations (e.g. beading, stenosis, occlusion, aneurysm, or dissection). While the first case of FMD is thought to have been described over 75 years ago, the causes, natural history, and epidemiology of FMD in the general population remain incompletely understood. This article reviews important historical and contemporary contributions to the FMD literature that inform our current understanding of the prevalence and epidemiology of this important disorder. A particular focus is given to studies which form the basis for FMD prevalence estimates. Prevalence estimates for renal FMD are derived from renal transplant donor studies and sub-studies of clinical trials of renal artery stenting; however, it is unclear how well these estimates generalize to the overall population as a whole. Newer data are emerging examining the genetic associations and environmental interactions with FMD. Significant contributions to the understanding of FMD have come from the United States Registry for Fibromuscular Dysplasia; however, many unanswered questions remain, and future studies are required to further characterize FMD epidemiology in general populations and advance our understanding of this important disorder.

The impact of primary care dual-management on quality of care

BACKGROUND

Discontinuity is common in US healthcare. Patients access multiple systems of care and in the nation's largest integrated healthcare system, Veteran's Administration (VA) patients frequently use non-VA primary care providers. The impact of this "dual-management" on quality is unknown. The authors' objective was to identify dual-management and associations with markers of care quality for hypertension and associated conditions.

METHODS

Data was collected via surveys and chart reviews of primary care patients with hypertension from six VA clinics in Iowa and Minnesota. Clinical measures abstracted included the following: goal blood pressure (BP) and use of guideline-concordant therapy, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, hemoglobin A1C, and body mass index (BMI). Dual-management data was obtained through self-report.

RESULTS

Of 189 subjects (mean age = 66), 36% were dual-managed by non-VA providers. There was no difference in hypertension quality of care measures by dual-management status. A total of 51% were at BP goal and 58% were on guideline-concordant therapy. Dual-managed patients were more likely to use thiazide diuretics (43% vs 29%; P = .03) and angiotensin receptor blockers (13% vs 3%; P < .01), but less likely to use angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (43% vs 61%; P = .02). There was no difference in LDL cholesterol (97.1 mg/dl vs 100.1 mg/dl; P = .55), hemoglobin A1C (7% vs 6%; P = .74), or BMI (29.8 vs 30.9; P = .40) for dual-managed versus VA managed patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although dual-management may decrease continuity, VA/private sector dual-management did not impact quality of care, though some medication differences were observed. With the high prevalence of dual-management, future work should further address quality and evaluate redundancy of services.

Patient and Provider Perceptions of Hypertension Treatment: Do They Agree?

The objective of our study was to explore physician and patient attitudes regarding hypertension management. One hundred forty-five primary care providers and 189 patients with hypertension at 6 Veterans Administration clinics completed a hypertension survey. Fifty-one percent of patients were at their blood pressure goal, 58% were on guideline-concordant therapy, and 31% achieved both. Patients and providers agreed that physicians were a "very/extremely" useful source of information but differed in perceived value of pharmacists, educational material, advertising, and the Internet. They also agreed on the value of preventing cardiovascular events but differed in their perceptions of the importance of medication costs, side effects, and national guidelines. Blood pressure control and guideline-concordant therapy was higher than most prior reports, but with opportunity for improvement. Patients and providers differed in perceived value of various aspects of hypertension management; this information may help to determine trial design and quality improvement strategies in the future.