Working Toward a Frailty Index in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Preoperative Modified Frailty Index-11 versus EuroSCORE II in Predicting Postoperative Mortality and Complications in Elderly Patients Who Underwent Elective Open Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare sensitivity, specificity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and area under the curve (AUC) values using the modified Frailty Index 11 (mFI-11), EuroSCORE II, and combined mFI-11 and EuroSCORE II to predict in-hospital mortality and composite morbidities.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study SETTING: Songklanagarind Hospital, a tertiary care center in southern Thailand.

PARTICIPANTS

Elderly patients age ≥60 years who underwent elective open-heart surgical procedures on a pump between January 2017 and December 2022 were included.

INTERVENTIONS

ROC curves were constructed to evaluate the discriminatory power of EuroSCORE II and mFI-11 for predicting in-hospital mortality and postoperative complications.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The actual in-hospital mortality was 2.5% for all patients. The discriminative accuracy of mFI-11, EuroSCORE II, and combined mFI-11 with EuroSCORE II for predicting in-hospital mortality was good, with respective AUC values of 0.733 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6157-0.8499), 0.793 (95% CI, 0.6826-0.9026), and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.6686-0.893). The AUC of mFI-11 for predicting postoperative cardiac, respiratory, neurologic, and renal complications was 0.558 (95% CI, 0.5101-0.6063), 0.606 (95% CI, 0.5542-0.6581), 0.543 (95% CI, 0.4533-0.6337), and 0.652 (95% CI, 0.5859-0.7179), respectively, and that of EuroSCORE II was 0.553 (95% CI, 0.5038-0.6013), 0.631 (95% CI, 0.578-0.6836), 0.619 (95% CI, 0.5306-0.7076), and 0.702 (95% CI, 0.6378-0.7657), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The mFI-11 and EuroSCORE II demonstrated good discrimination in ROC analysis, with EuroSCORE II showing superior predictive accuracy for in-hospital mortality in elderly elective cardiac surgery patients. However, neither score independently predicted mortality in multiple logistic regression, nor did combining them enhance predictive power significantly. Furthermore, both scores were less effective in predicting postoperative complications.

Frailty Assessment in a Cohort of Elderly Patients with Severe Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis: Insights from the FRailty Evaluation in Severe Aortic Stenosis (FRESAS) Registry

Background: Precise evaluation of the degree of frailty is a fundamental part of the global geriatric assessment that helps to avoid therapies that could be futile. Our main objective was to determine the prevalence of frailty in a specific consult of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. Methods: From May 2018 to February 2020, all consecutive patients ≥75 years old, with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, undergoing valve replacement in the Principality of Asturias (Northern Spain) were evaluated. Results: A total of 286 patients were assessed. The mean age was 84 ± 4.01 years old; 175 (61.2%) were female. The short performance physical battery score was 8.5 ± 2.4 and the prevalence of frailty was 19.6% (56 patients). In the multivariable analysis, age, Barthel index and atrial fibrillation were independent predictors of frailty. Conclusions: The prevalence of frailty in our sample patients undergoing aortic valve replacement, evaluated by a standardized protocol, was 19.6%.

Functional impairment assessed by the Barthel Index influenced outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Objective. We investigated the influence of functional impairment assessed by the Barthel index (BI) on the three-month outcomes after transfemoral-transcatheter aortic valve intervention (TF-TAVI) under general anesthesia. Design. We included retrospectively analyzed 336 patients undergoing TAVI between January 2017 and January 2018 in central hospital, Bad Berka, Germany. All patients were followed up at three-month in our center's outpatient clinic. We stratified the patients according to the BI. Results. At baseline, 76 patients had a BI <80. Patients with a BI <80 were characterized by advanced age (80.6 ± 5.6 vs. 83 ± 4.1 years. p = .027), diabetes mellitus on insulin and higher surgical risk scores. A prior cerebral ischemic event was recorded more in patients with a BI ≥80. Regarding intermediate outcomes, three-month mortality was significantly higher in patients with a BI <80. Patients with a BI <80 developed significantly more postoperative cardiac decompensation, delirium and strokes. Patients with BI <80 had lower hemoglobin level preoperative and needed more blood transfusion postoperative. Other valve academic research consortiums (VARCs) complications were equally distributed in both groups. A BI <80 was associated with prolonged postoperative hospital stay and was an independent predictor of FT protocol failure (OR 4; CI 95% 1.3-11. p .02). Conclusions. A BI <80 is associated with increased mortality and risk of neurological events and cardiac decompensations after TF TAVI. A BI <80 is an independent predictor of failure in fast track TAVI.

TAVI and the future of aortic valve replacement

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular pathology and has traditionally been managed using surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). A large proportion of affected patient demographics, however, are unfit to undergo major surgery given underlying comorbidities. Since its introduction in 2002, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has gained popularity and transformed the care available to different-risk group patients with severe symptomatic AS. Specific qualifying criteria and refinement of TAVI techniques are fundamental in determining successful outcomes for intervention. Given the successful applicability in high-risk patients, TAVI has been further developed and trialed in intermediate and low-risk patients. Within intermediate-risk patient groups, TAVI was shown to be noninferior to SAVR evaluating 30-d mortality and secondary endpoints such as the risk of bleeding, development of acute kidney injury, and length of admission. The feasibility of expanding TAVI procedures into low-risk patients is still a controversial topic in the literature. A number of trials have recently been published which demonstrate TAVI as noninferior and even superior over SAVR for primary study endpoints.

A Practical Two-Stage Frailty Assessment for Older Adults Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement

OBJECTIVES

Despite evidence, frailty is not routinely assessed before cardiac surgery. We compared five brief frailty tests for predicting poor outcomes after aortic valve replacement and evaluated a strategy of performing comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in screen-positive patients.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

A single academic center.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) (n = 91; mean age = 77.8 y) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) (n = 137; mean age = 84.5 y) from February 2014 to June 2017.

MEASUREMENTS

Brief frailty tests (Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illness, and Loss of weight [FRAIL] scale; Clinical Frailty Scale; grip strength; gait speed; and chair rise) and a deficit-accumulation frailty index based on CGA (CGA-FI) were measured at baseline. A composite of death or functional decline and severe symptoms at 6 months was assessed.

RESULTS

The outcome occurred in 8.8% (n = 8) after SAVR and 24.8% (n = 34) after TAVR. The chair rise test showed the highest discrimination in the SAVR (C statistic = .76) and TAVR cohorts (C statistic = .63). When the chair rise test was chosen as a screening test (≥17 s for SAVR and ≥23 s for TAVR), the incidence of outcome for screen-negative patients, screen-positive patients with CGA-FI of .34 or lower, and screen-positive patients with CGA-FI higher than .34 were 1.9% (n = 1/54), 5.3% (n = 1/19), and 33.3% (n = 6/18) after SAVR, respectively, and 15.0% (n = 9/60), 14.3% (n = 3/21), and 38.3% (n = 22/56) after TAVR, respectively. Compared with routinely performing CGA, targeting CGA to screen-positive patients would result in 54 fewer CGAs, without compromising sensitivity (routine vs targeted: .75 vs .75; P = 1.00) and specificity (.84 vs .86; P = 1.00) in the SAVR cohort; and 60 fewer CGAs with lower sensitivity (.82 vs.65; P = .03) and higher specificity (.50 vs .67; P < .01) in the TAVR cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The chair rise test with targeted CGA may be a practical strategy to identify older patients at high risk for mortality and poor recovery after SAVR and TAVR in whom individualized care management should be considered. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2031-2037, 2019.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a new standard of care

Aortic stenosis is the most common valvular lesion requiring intervention and with an ageing population, its burden is likely to increase. Increasing comorbidity and a desire for less invasive treatment strategies has facilitated the expansion of percutaneous aortic valve therapies. Robust clinical trial data are now available to support the role of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients of prohibitive, high and now intermediate surgical risk. The introduction of a Medicare Benefits Schedule reimbursement is likely to see TAVI use grow exponentially in Australia over the next 5 years. Clinical trials evaluating low risk patients may be the final frontier to see TAVI become the standard of care for most patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Utility of an additive frailty tests index score for mortality risk assessment following transcatheter aortic valve replacement

BACKGROUND

The impact of frailty assessment on outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the individual effect of each frailty test and the utility of an additive frailty index score on short- and long-term survival following TAVR.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of consecutive TAVR patients for whom a complete set of frailty tests was obtained: algorithm defined grip strength and 5-m walking tests, body mass index <20 kg/m², Katz activities of daily living ≤4/6, serum albumin <3.5 g/dL. Frailty status was defined as having 3 or more positive frailty tests. Included were 498 patients with a mean age of 82±8 years.

RESULTS

Frailty status, observed in 266 (53%) patients, was associated with both 30-day and 1-year mortality (6% vs. 2%, P=.016; 20% vs. 9%, P<.001; within the respective frailty groups). As compared to 0-2 frailty criteria, a higher frailty index score was associated with increased risk of death at 1 year (OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.14-4.34; P=.019 and OR 3.30; 95% CI 1.36-8.00; P=.008 for 3 and 4-5 frailty criteria met, respectively). In Cox regression analysis, frailty status was correlated with 1-year mortality (HR=2.2; 95%CI 1.25-3.96; P=.007), and a higher frailty index was associated with increased mortality risk (HR=2.0; 95% CI 1.08-3.7; P=.027; and HR=3.07; 95% CI 1.4-6.7; P=.005; for any 3, and 4-5 frailty criteria, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty status and a higher frailty index score were associated with increased 1-year mortality risk following TAVR.

The Asia-Pacific Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Frailty

OBJECTIVE

To develop Clinical Practice Guidelines for the screening, assessment and management of the geriatric condition of frailty.

METHODS

An adapted Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to develop the guidelines. This process involved detailed evaluation of the current scientific evidence paired with expert panel interpretation. Three categories of Clinical Practice Guidelines recommendations were developed: strong, conditional, and no recommendation.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Strong recommendations were (1) use a validated measurement tool to identify frailty; (2) prescribe physical activity with a resistance training component; and (3) address polypharmacy by reducing or deprescribing any inappropriate/superfluous medications. Conditional recommendations were (1) screen for, and address modifiable causes of fatigue; (2) for persons exhibiting unintentional weight loss, screen for reversible causes and consider food fortification and protein/caloric supplementation; and (3) prescribe vitamin D for individuals deficient in vitamin D. No recommendation was given regarding the provision of a patient support and education plan.

CONCLUSIONS

The recommendations provided herein are intended for use by healthcare providers in their management of older adults with frailty in the Asia Pacific region. It is proposed that regional guideline support committees be formed to help provide regular updates to these evidence-based guidelines.

Clinical Frailty as an Outcome Predictor After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score and frailty index are calculated routinely as part of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) assessment to determine procedure risk. We aim to evaluate the incremental improvement of STS risk score using frailty status in predicting short- and long-term outcome after TAVI. Study population included 544 consecutive TAVI patients who completed full frailty assessment and STS score calculation before the procedure. Frailty is defined by the presence of any 3 of the following 5 criteria: algorithm-defined grip strength and 15-foot walking tests, body mass index < 20 kg/m², Katz activity of daily living ≤ 4/6, serum albumin < 3.5 g/dl. Multivariable logistic analysis of 30-day and 1-year mortality was performed using a logistic regression model that comprised the STS risk score model as a single variable. Based on frailty definition, 242 patients were frail and 302 patients were not. STS score was higher in the frail group than in the nonfrail group. Compared with STS risk score alone, frailty status was a significant predictor of 1-year mortality after TAVI procedure (odds ratio 1.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0 to 1.1, p = 0.029 vs 2.75, 95% CI 1.55 to 4.87, p <0.001, respectively). Although the c-statistic of the 1-year STS risk prediction model only changed from 0.62 to 0.66 (p = 0.08), the net reclassification improvement increased significantly to 52.8% after adding frailty to the prediction model (95% CI 0.28 to 0.77, p <0.0001). Frailty status is associated with higher mortality in TAVI cohort and incrementally improves the well-validated STS risk prediction model. Frailty assessment should continue to be part of the preprocedural assessment to further improve patient outcomes after TAVI.

A Comparison of Three Frailty Indices in Predicting Morbidity and Mortality After On-Pump Aortic Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND

Aortic valve replacement is a high-risk surgery (3%-5%, 30-day mortality) performed on approximately 30,000 elderly patients a year in the United States. Currently, preoperative risk assessment is based on a composite of medical examination and a subjective evaluation for frailty ("eyeball test"). Objective frailty assessment using validated indices has the potential to improve risk stratification. The purpose of this study was to (1) establish whether frailty can predict 30-day mortality and composite morbidity in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement and (2) compare the predictive ability of 3 frailty indices in this population.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective cohort study of 3088 patients 65 years old and older undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery (based on current procedure terminology codes) between the years 2006 and 2012 extracted from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Frailty was assessed using the modified frailty index, risk analysis index, and Ganapathi indices. Outcomes measured were 30-day mortality and composite morbidity (myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, reintubation, renal insufficiency, coma >24 hours, urinary tract infections, sepsis, deep vein thrombosis, deep wound surgical site infection, superficial site infection, and reoperation).

RESULTS

Frailty was a better predictor of mortality than morbidity, and it was not markedly different among any of the 3 indices. Frailty was associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality and longer lengths of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty can predict mortality in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. Choice of frailty index does not make a difference in this patient population.

Preoperative Frailty Assessment and Outcomes at 6 Months or Later in Older Adults Undergoing Cardiac Surgical Procedures: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Frailty assessment may inform surgical risk and prognosis not captured by conventional surgical risk scores.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the evidence for various frailty instruments used to predict mortality, functional status, or major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) in older adults undergoing cardiac surgical procedures.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE and EMBASE (without language restrictions), from their inception to 2 May 2016.

STUDY SELECTION

Cohort studies evaluating the association between frailty and mortality or functional status at 6 months or later in patients aged 60 years or older undergoing major or minimally invasive cardiac surgical procedures.

DATA EXTRACTION

2 reviewers independently extracted study data and assessed study quality.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Mobility, disability, and nutrition were frequently assessed domains of frailty in both types of procedures. In patients undergoing major procedures (n = 18 388; 8 studies), 9 frailty instruments were evaluated. There was moderate-quality evidence to assess mobility or disability and very-low- to low-quality evidence for using a multicomponent instrument to predict mortality or MACCEs. No studies examined functional status. In patients undergoing minimally invasive procedures (n = 5177; 17 studies), 13 frailty instruments were evaluated. There was moderate- to high-quality evidence for assessing mobility to predict mortality or functional status. Several multicomponent instruments predicted mortality, functional status, or MACCEs, but the quality of evidence was low to moderate. Multicomponent instruments that measure different frailty domains seemed to outperform single-component ones.

LIMITATION

Heterogeneity of frailty assessment, limited generalizability of multicomponent frailty instruments, few validated frailty instruments, and potential publication bias.

CONCLUSION

Frailty status, assessed by mobility, disability, and nutritional status, may predict mortality at 6 months or later after major cardiac surgical procedures and functional decline after minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

National Institute on Aging and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Norton scale for predicting prognosis in elderly patients undergoing trans-catheter aortic valve implantation: A historical prospective study

BACKGROUND

The Norton scale is traditionally used to assess the risk of pressure ulcers. However, recent studies have shown its prognostic utilization in elderly patients with diverse medical conditions. The association between low admission Norton scale scores (ANSS), complications, and mortality in elderly patients following trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has never been studied. We aimed to determine if low ANSS (≤16) is associated with complications and 30-day and 1-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing TAVI.

METHODS

The medical charts of elderly (≥70 years) TAVI patients at the Tel-Aviv Medical Center, a tertiary medical center, were studied for the following measurements: ANSS, demographics, co-morbidities, complications during hospitalization, and 30-day and 1-year mortality. Complications included: an atrio-ventricular block, stroke, and vascular complications.

RESULTS

The cohort included 302 elderly patients: 179 (59.3%) were women; the mean age was 83.3±5.1 years. Following TAVI, 112 (37.1%) patients had complications other than pressure ulcers, 10 (3.3%) patients died within 30 days, and 42 (13.9%) patients died within one year. Overall, 36 (11.9%) patients had low ANSS. 1-year mortality rates were almost three times higher in patients with low ANSS relative to patients with high ANSS (27.8% vs. 12.0%; the relative risk 1.1; p=0.018). A stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that ANSS was independently inversely associated with 1-year mortality (p=0.018). Complications and 30-day mortality rates were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Low ANSS are associated with 1-year mortality after TAVI. The Norton scale may therefore be used as an additional tool for elderly patient selection before TAVI.

Frailty in cardiothoracic surgery: systematic review of the literature

A preoperative surgical risk analysis is necessary and important for predicting clinical and surgical outcomes in a clinical setting. Various tools for evaluating the patient characteristics in order to forecast perioperative clinical outcomes have previously been described; however, an objective and precise preoperative risk assessment has not yet been established. In the last decade, the concept of frailty, which is a geriatric assessment that identifies disabilities and weaknesses in patients, has been used in order to predict clinical mortality and morbidity following invasive surgical interventions because the prevalence of elderly patients among those undergoing surgical interventions is increasing. Since there is currently no single generally accepted clinical definition of frailty, many clinical modalities are needed to evaluate the patients' geriatric activity of daily living. Quantifying the quality of frailty is an evolving challenge for predicting surgical risks preoperatively. In recent years, with the development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), this newly definitive preoperative surgical risk assessment tool, frailty, has become more important and is attracting interest in cardiothoracic surgical settings. Thus, this review summarized current consideration on the preoperative risk analysis by frailty as well as future perspectives and the potential of an ideal frailty risk assessment in cardiothoracic surgery, including the management of elderly patients and high-risk aortic valve stenosis by TAVI.

Risk scores do not adjust for aggressive, evidence-based changes in percutaneous coronary intervention practice patterns

AIM

Public reporting of procedural outcomes leads to risk averse behavior because physicians do not believe the scores account for patient risk. We investigated the effects of more aggressive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) practice on risk-adjusted mortality.

METHODS & RESULTS

8935 PCI were performed. Risk adjustment was performed with the New York State PCI risk score. The cohort was divided into two eras based on programs implemented to promote more aggressive care. Between eras, overall adjusted mortality ratios rose from 0.66 to 0.90 (observed/predicted, p = 0.02), despite evidence supporting consistent procedural quality.

CONCLUSION

Evidence-based changes in PCI practice were associated with worsening risk-adjusted procedural mortality. These data are consistent with physician beliefs regarding risk-adjusted outcome measures.

Gait speed as a measure of functional status in COPD patients

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease associated with dyspnea, fatigue, and exercise intolerance. The degree of functional debility and level of exercise capacity greatly influences quality of life and mortality in patients with COPD, and the measures of exercise capacity are to be an integral part of patient assessment but often not feasible in routine daily practice, resulting in likely suboptimal care. There is a need for simple ways to identify functional decline in the clinical setting in order to guide resources to preventive interventions or proper care, including palliative care. Gait speed, or measuring how long it takes for a patient to walk a short distance, takes very little time and space, and can serve as a candidate measure of physical function in COPD. Gait speed has been shown to be an indicator of disability, health care utilization, and survival in older adults. It is a simple, reliable, and feasible measure to perform in the clinic and has been promoted as the next vital sign, providing insight into patients' functional capacity. Gait speed is mainly determined by exercise capacity but reflects global well-being as it captures many of the multisystemic effects of disease severity in COPD rather than pulmonary impairment alone. It is an excellent screening measure for exercise capacity and frailty; in COPD, the usual gait speed (4-m course with rolling start) has been very accurate in identifying clinically relevant benchmarks of the 6-minute walk test, poor (<350 m) and very poor (<200 m) 6-minute walk test distances. A specific cut-off point of 0.8 m · s(-1) had a positive predictive value of 69% and negative predictive value of 98% in predicting very poor exercise capacity. The increasing evidence on gait speed is promising as a simple test that can inform the clinician about many important functional aspects of the COPD patient. Further work will likely show the strength of gait speed as a predictive marker of hospitalizations, re-admissions, and mortality. Instead of relying on the "eyeball test" regarding the patient's frailty or exercise capacity, a gait speed in its simplicity represents a much more solid assessment. Furthermore, repeat measures over serial clinic visits may show a pattern and further guide a change in therapy, whether it be medications, rehabilitation, or even initiation of palliative care discussions.

Patient frailty: the elephant in the operating room

For most surgeons and many anaesthetists, patient frailty is currently the 'elephant in the (operating) room': it is easy to spot, but is often ignored. In this paper, we discuss different approaches to the measurement of frailty and review the evidence regarding the effect of frailty on peri-operative outcomes. We explore the limitations of 'eyeballing' patients to quantify frailty, and consider why the frail older patient, challenged by seemingly minor insults in the postoperative period, may suffer falls or delirium. Frailty represents a state of increased vulnerability to stressors, and older inpatients are exposed to multiple stressors in the peri-operative setting. Quantifying frailty is likely to increase the precision of peri-operative risk assessment. The Frailty Index derived from Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment is a simple and robust way to quantify frailty, but is yet to be systematically investigated in the pre-operative setting. Furthermore, the optimal care for frail patients and the reversibility of frailty with prehabilitation are fertile areas for future research.