Predictors for permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve implantation: trends over the past decade

Temporal changes of patient characteristics over 12 years in a single-center transcatheter aortic valve implantation cohort

BACKGROUND

Beneficial results of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients at all risk strata have led to substantial changes in guideline recommendations for valvular heart disease.

AIM

To examine influence of these guideline changes on a real-world TAVI cohort, we evaluated how risk profiles and outcomes of TAVI patients developed in our single-center patient cohort over a period of 12 years.

METHODS

Baseline, procedural and 30-day outcome parameters of TAVI patients were retrospectively compared between three time periods (period 1: 2008-2012, period 2: 2013-2017, period 3: 2018-2020).

RESULTS

Between 03/2008 and 12/2020, a total of 3678 patients underwent TAVI at our center. The median age was 81.1 years (25th, 75th percentile: 76.7, 84.9) with no significant change over time. The EuroSCORE II showed a continuous and significant decline from 5.3% (3.3, 8.6) in period 1 to 2.8% (1.7, 5.0) in period 3 (p < 0.001). Furthermore, rates of permanent pacemaker implantation, acute kidney injury, and paravalvular leakage ≥ moderate continuously declined over time. Accordingly, the 30-day mortality fell from 9.3% in period 1 to 4.3% in period 3 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Despite substantial guideline alterations, median patient age remained largely unchanged in our TAVI cohort over the past 12 years. Therefore, increased age still appears to be the main reason to choose TAVI over SAVR. However, risk profiles declined substantially. Significant improvements in early outcomes suggest favorable influence of less invasive access routes, improved device platforms and growing user experience.

Temporal trends of TAVI treatment characteristics in high volume centers in Germany 2013-2020

OBJECTIVE

To assess temporal trends of patient baseline characteristics, risk profile and outcome of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) between 2013 and 2020.

BACKGROUND

Guideline recommendations and increasing confidence in TAVI therapy may have changed the selection of TAVI patients.

METHODS

Baseline risk profile and VARC-2 outcome of 15,344 patients undergoing TAVI at 5 high volume centers in Germany over the time period 2013-2020 was analyzed.

RESULTS

Over the 8 years, annual TAVI volumes more than doubled from 1071 in 2013 to 2996 in 2020. The baseline surgical risk estimated by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score declined from 7.2 ± 6.2% to 4.6 ± 3.7% (P < 0.001) as a consequence of lower comorbidity burden, whereas mean age remained unchanged (2013 81.0 ± 6.1; 2020 80.8 ± 6.4; P = 0.976) with patients ≥ 80 years accounting for about two-third of the treated cohort. Periprocedural complications including bleeding (2013 24.5%; 2020 12.1%; P < 0.001), vascular complications (2013 20.7%; 2020 11.7%; P < 0.001) and new permanent pacemaker implantation (2013 20.1%; 2020 13.8%, P < 0.001) decreased significantly. Similarly, the 30-day mortality decreased from 5.4% to 2.1% (P < 0.001), but remained high in high-risk patients (STS > 8% 2013 7.5%; 2020 6.9%; P = 0.778).

CONCLUSION

From 2013 to 2020, mortality and burden of complications following TAVI procedure significantly decreased in a large multicenter registry from Germany. Proportion of elderly patients remained stable, while the surgical risk profile decreased.

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.

Systemic corticosteroid exposure and atrioventricular conductance delays after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

BACKGROUND

Atrioventricular conduction delays (AVCD) are common after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and frequently require implantation of a permanent pacemaker (PPM). Autopsy studies demonstrated the role of ischemia, inflammation, and oedema in the pathogenesis of AVCD. Corticosteroids (CS) reduce inflammation and oedema and hence might lead to a lower rate of AVCD.

METHODS

Based on a prospective single-center registry, we performed a propensity score (PS) matched analysis of subjects treated with or without systemic CS (>2.5 mg prednisolone-equivalent per day) at the time of TAVI. The primary endpoint was a composite of PPM-implantation and new-onset left bundle branch block (LBBB) within 30 days after TAVI.

RESULTS

Among 2213 consecutive patients undergoing TAVI (51.5% female, mean age 82.1 ± 6.1 years) 89 patients were treated with systemic CS, of which 87 were included in the PS matched analysis. At 30 days, rates of the composite of PPM and LBBB were comparable between patients with versus without CS both in the overall cohort (33.7% versus 33.0%, p = 0.89) and the PS matched cohort (34.5% versus 40.2%, p = 0.443). There were no differences in a composite of major or minor vascular complications and major or life-threatening bleeding events between patients with versus without CS in the overall cohort (34.8% versus 26.6%, p = 0.088) or the PS matched cohort (33.3% versus 33.3%, p ≥ 0.999).

CONCLUSION

In this exploratory study, intake of systemic CS among patients undergoing TAVI was not associated with differences in rates of AVCD, vascular complications, or bleeding events after TAVI.