Outcomes After Current Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Intervention

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for reduction of tricuspid regurgitation: 6-month outcomes of the TRILUMINATE single-arm study

BACKGROUND

Tricuspid regurgitation is a prevalent disease associated with high morbidity and mortality, with few treatment options. The aim of the TRILUMINATE trial is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of TriClip, a minimally invasive transcatheter tricuspid valve repair system, for reducing tricuspid regurgitation.

METHODS

The TRILUMINATE trial is a prospective, multicentre, single-arm study in 21 sites in Europe and the USA. Patients with moderate or greater triscuspid regurgitation, New York Heart Association class II or higher, and who were adequately treated per applicable standards were eligible for enrolment. Patients were excluded if they had systolic pulmonary artery pressure of more than 60 mm Hg, a previous tricuspid valve procedure, or a cardiovascular implantable electronic device that would inhibit TriClip placement. Participants were treated using a clip-based edge-to-edge repair technique with the TriClip tricuspid valve repair system. Tricuspid regurgitation was graded using a five-class grading scheme (mild, moderate, severe, massive, and torrential) that expanded on the standard American Society of Echocardiography grading scheme. The primary efficacy endpoint was a reduction in tricuspid regurgitation severity by at least one grade at 30 days post procedure, with a performance goal of 35%, analysed in all patients who had an attempted tricuspid valve repair procedure upon femoral vein puncture. The primary safety endpoint was a composite of major adverse events at 6 months, with a performance goal of 39%. Patients were excluded from the primary safety analysis if they did not reach 6-month follow-up and did not have a major adverse event during previous follow-ups. The trial has completed enrolment and follow-up is ongoing; it is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03227757.

FINDINGS

Between Aug 1, 2017, and Nov 29, 2018, 85 patients (mean age 77·8 years [SD 7·9]; 56 [66%] women) were enrolled and underwent successful TriClip implantation. Tricuspid regurgitation severity was reduced by at least one grade at 30 days in 71 (86%) of 83 patients who had available echocardiogram data and imaging. The one-sided lower 97·5% confidence limit was 76%, which was greater than the prespecified performance goal of 35% (p<0·0001). One patient withdrew before 6-month follow-up without having had a major adverse event and was excluded from analysis of the primary safety endpoint. At 6 months, three (4%) of 84 patients experienced a major adverse event, which was less than the prespecified performance goal of 39% (p<0·0001). Single leaflet attachment occurred in five (7%) of 72 patients. No periprocedural deaths, conversions to surgery, device embolisations, myocardial infarctions, or strokes occurred. At 6 months, all-cause mortality had occurred in four (5%) of 84 patients.

INTERPRETATION

The TriClip system appears to be safe and effective at reducing tricuspid regurgitation by at least one grade. This reduction could translate to significant clinical improvement at 6 months post procedure.

FUNDING

Abbott.

[Transcatheter treatment of tricuspid regurgitation]

Tricuspid regurgitation is serious disease for which surgical correction is underperformed because of a prohibitive risk. It is responsible for a 50% mortality at 3 years which is decreased by surgical treatment. However, only a negligible proportion of patients undergoes surgery. In this context, there is currently an unmet need for percutaneous treatment technique. Several technologies are undergoing preclinical or early clinical development. These techniques aim to mimic the different surgical strategies used for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation. Thus, some target the leaflets, the tricuspid annulus or offer a complete tricuspid valve replacement. Before planning a transcatheter tricuspid intervention, a comprehensive evaluation is mandatory, addressing the patient clinical status and comorbidities, the tricuspid regurgitation ad its consequences on right heart and, the anatomy of the tricuspid annulus and the right heart to determine if the patient is eligible for the chosen technique. This article will review the indications, contraindications and exams to perform before transcatheter tricuspid intervention and will then detail the different strategies available or undergoing development.

Quantitative assessment of effective regurgitant orifice: impact on risk stratification, and cut-off for severe and torrential tricuspid regurgitation grade

Aims 

Asses the added value of quantitative evaluation of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), the proper cut-off value for severe TR and ‘torrential TR’ based on outcome data. The added value of quantitative evaluation of TR, and the cut-off values associated with increased mortality are unknown.

Methods and results

In patients with all-cause TR assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively by proximal iso-velocity surface area method, long-term and 1-year outcome analysis was conducted. Thresholds for excess mortality were assessed using spline curves, receiver-operating characteristic curves, and minimum P-value analysis. The study involved 676 patients with all-cause TR (age 73.9 ± 14 years, male 45%, ejection fraction 52.9 ± 14%). Effective regurgitant orifice (ERO) was strongly associated with decreased survival in unadjusted [hazard ratio (HR) 2.38 (1.79–3.01), P &lt; 0.0001 per 0.1 cm2 increment] and adjusted [2.6 (1.25–5.0), P = 0.01] analyses. Quantitative grading was superior to qualitative grading in prediction of outcome (P &lt; 0.01). The optimal cut-off value for the best separation in survival between groups of patients with severe vs. lesser degree of TR was 0.35 cm2 [P &lt; 0.0001, HR =2.0 (1.5–2.7)]. ERO negatively impacted survival, even when including only the subgroup of patients with severe TR [HR 1.5 (1.01–2.3); P = 0.04]. The optimal threshold corresponding for the best separation for survival between groups of patients with severe vs. ‘torrential’ TR was 0.7 cm2 [P = 0.005, HR =2.6 (1.2–5.1)].

Conclusion 

TR can be severe and even ‘torrential’ and is associated with excess mortality. Quantitative assessment of TR by ERO measurement is a powerful independent predictor of outcome, superior to standard qualitative assessment. The optimal cut-off above which mortality is increased is 0.35 cm2, similar albeit slightly lower than suggested in recent guidelines. Torrential TR &gt;0.7 cm2 is associated with poorer survival compared to patients with severe TR (ERO &gt; 0.4 cm2 and &lt;0.7 cm2).

[Edge-to-edge repair : What has changed compared to the position paper in 2013?]

This short review article aims to explain the changes in the treatment strategies of interventional care designed to treat secondary mitral valve regurgitation with edge-to-edge repair in comparison to the position paper published in 2013 by the German Society of Cardiology and the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. To this end the current data situation with respect to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines from 2017, the intraprocedural assessment of mitral valve regurgitation and new technical developments are discussed.

Imaging in Structural Heart Disease: The Evolution of a New Subspecialty

Structural heart disease is a new field in cardiovascular medicine, which has resulted in the creation of a new imaging subspecialty. Structural heart disease imagers have been instrumental in stimulating innovations in both the imaging and interventional spheres. Perhaps most importantly, they play a key role on the clinical heart team, interacting with team members and patients before, during, and long after a structural procedure is performed.

Uncertainties and challenges in surgical and transcatheter tricuspid valve therapy: a state-of-the-art expert review

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a frequent and complex problem, commonly combined with left-sided heart disease, such as mitral regurgitation. Significant TR is associated with increased mortality if left untreated or recurrent after therapy. Tricuspid regurgitation was historically often disregarded and remained undertreated. Surgery is currently the only Class I Guideline recommended therapy for TR, in the form of annuloplasty, leaflet repair, or valve replacement. As growing experience of transcatheter therapy in structural heart disease, many dedicated transcatheter tricuspid repair or replacement devices, which mimic well-established surgical techniques, are currently under development. Nevertheless, many aspects of TR are little understood, including the disease process, surgical or interventional risk stratification, and predictors of successful therapy. The optimal treatment timing and the choice of proper surgical or interventional technique for significant TR remain to be elucidated. In this context, we aim to highlight the current evidence, underline major controversial issues in this field and present a future roadmap for TR therapy.

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1-Year Outcomes After Edge-to-Edge Valve Repair for Symptomatic Tricuspid Regurgitation: Results From the TriValve Registry

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate procedural and 1-year clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of patients treated with tricuspid edge-to-edge repair.

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair has been successfully performed in selected patients with symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and high risk for surgery, but outcome data are sparse.

METHODS

This analysis of the multicenter international TriValve (Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Therapies) registry included 249 patients with severe TR treated with edge-to-edge repair in compassionate and/or off-label use. Clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

In 249 patients (mean age 77 ± 9 years; European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II score 6.4% [interquartile range: 3.9% to 13.9%]), a successful procedure with TR reduction to grade ≤2+ was achieved in 77% by placement of 2 ± 1 tricuspid clips. Concomitant treatment of severe TR and mitral regurgitation was performed in 52% of patients. At 1-year follow-up, significant and durable improvements in TR severity (TR ≤2+ in 72% of patients) and New York Heart Association functional class (≤II in 69% of patients) were observed. All-cause mortality was 20%, and the combined rate of mortality and unplanned hospitalization for heart failure was 35%. Predictors of procedural failure included effective regurgitant orifice area, tricuspid coaptation gap, tricuspid tenting area, and absence of central or anteroseptal TR jet location. Predictors of 1-year mortality were procedural failure, worsening kidney function, and absence of sinus rhythm.

CONCLUSIONS

Transcatheter tricuspid edge-to-edge repair can achieve TR reduction at 1 year, resulting in significant clinical improvement. Predictors of procedural failure and 1-year mortality identified here may help select patients who will benefit most from this therapy.

The Forgotten, Not Studied or Not Valorized Tricuspid Valve: The Transcatheter Revolution Is Coming

The tricuspid valve (TV) has been known as the forgotten valve. However, considering recent information from scientific studies, this nomenclature may need to be adjusted for the valve, which also needs to be better studied and understood. For decades, tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was not fully appreciated and was never the priority. However, studies have revealed that such pathology is related to a possible negative impact on prognosis of patients. Severe TR is a predictor of higher mortality. For the treatment of TR, repair or valve replacement can be performed. Repair techniques can be performed on the annulus (suture annuloplasty or ring implant), on the leaflets (e.g. triangular resection), on the cords (transfers or new cords) and on the papillary muscles (e.g. sliding technique). The anatomical characteristics of the TV determine the repair technique to be used. In some cases, valve repair is not possible and/or not indicated and valve replacement is selected based on the strategy. Nowadays transcatheter therapies have been used and studied. The main transcatheter strategies for the treatment of TR are based on reduction of the annulus (Cardioband, Trialign, TriCinch, Millipede and TRAIPTA), improvement of the leaflet coaptation (Mitraclip, FORMA device, PASCAL system, and TV occluder), reduction of the reflux for the vena cava system (Tric valve and Sapien valve implant), and valve implants (Navigate, Trisol, Sapien, Melody). In this context, there are still other devices (such as Tricentro, Pasta, etc.) being developed and tested throughout several phases of research. In the future, improved knowledge of the TV and the evolution of transcatheter treatments will alter the history of the TV. The transcatheter revolution is coming!

Anatomy of mitral annulus insights from non-invasive imaging techniques

The mitral annulus (MA) is not a continuous ring of connective tissue from which are suspended mitral leaflets. Instead, it is a much more complex structure made up of a mix of fibrous, muscular, and adipose tissues. MA is a key structure in any type of mitral valve repair and recently it has been targeted for transcutaneous devices. Thus, a deep understanding of MA anatomy has never been more important. Traditionally, cardiac anatomy has been described using anatomic specimens. Currently, sophisticated non-invasive techniques allow imaging of MA with a richness of anatomical details unimaginable only two decades ago. The aim of this review is to provide a better understanding of the peculiar aspects of MA as they are revealed through these imaging techniques and discuss clinical implications related to this complex structure.

Update on the Current Landscape of Transcatheter Options for Tricuspid Regurgitation Treatment

Most patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation lack treatment options because of prohibitive surgical risk. New transcatheter treatments under development and investigation might be able to address this unmet clinical need. This article gives an update on the landscape of devices for transcatheter tricuspid regurgitation treatment including different approaches (i.e. repair with leaflet approximation or annuloplasty and replacement using orthotopic or heterotopic valves) at different stages of development, from experimental to clinical trial. Repair devices such as the Cardioband or the MitraClip are leading the field with promising preliminary data and further trials are ongoing. However, with implantations of the Gate bioprosthesis, replacement devices are catching up. Potential advantages of different approaches and most recent data are discussed.

Characteristics and treatment strategies for severe tricuspid regurgitation

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify characteristics, spectrum of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity and treatment patterns in patients considered for intervention of severe TR at a tertiary centre. The population being considered for TR intervention is currently not well defined and the role of transcatheter interventions is unclear.

METHODS

The study involved 87 patients with severe TR considered for intervention from 1 March 2016 to 12 November 2018 at Mayo Clinic. Patients receiving medications alone were compared with those receiving intervention to identify patterns in demographics, clinical/echocardiographic associations and survival.

RESULTS

Mean age was 80±9 (56% female), 93% had atrial fibrillation and 64% had chronic kidney disease ≥3 a. Follow-up was 331±276 days; 95% were symptomatic with 6 min walk distance of 270±110 m. Loop diuretics were used in 93%; aldosterone antagonists in 35%. Mean tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was 15.6±3.8 mm, effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) 82±32 mm² and stroke volume index 39±11 mL/m²; 48% had at least moderate right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, and 75% did not undergo intervention. Patients receiving intervention showed trends towards larger EROA (93±33 vs 75±31 mm²), better right ventricular function and more severe symptoms. Overall group 30-day and 1-year survival were 100% and 76%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with severe TR considered for intervention are commonly elderly with atrial fibrillation, advanced TR and RV dysfunction; 75% were treated with medications alone and not offered intervention. Patients with greater EROA, better RV function and more severe symptoms were more likely to receive intervention. These findings have implications for future trial design.