Assessment of CardiOvascular Remodelling following Endovascular aortic repair through imaging and computation: the CORE prospective observational cohort study protocol

Echocardiographic Changes in Cardiac Function After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests thoracic stent grafts increase the aortic stiffness postimplantation. Our objective was to examine the effect of thoracic aortic stenting on heart function, as demonstrated with echocardiography.

METHODS

We considered nonrandomized studies examining echocardiographic parameters (left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricle end-diastolic (LVED) and end-systolic diameter (LVESD), posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), mass, and mass index) pre and poststent graft implantation in patients with thoracic aortic diseases (aneurysm, dissection, and blunt injury). MEDLINE and CENTRAL were searched (up to March 2021) for eligible studies. The National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool was used for risk of bias assessment. Echocardiographic data pre and postimplantation were compared using the pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

Four studies were included in the meta-analysis. Three of the studies were judged to be "good" quality and one "fair". Nonsignificant differences pre and postimplantation were found for ejection fraction (SMD = -0.53, 95% CI = -1.8 to 0.728, P = 0.406), IVST (SMD = -0.79, 95%, CI = -3.25 to 1.66, P = 0.52), EDD (SMD = -0.10, 95% CI = -0.48 to 0.28, P = 0.60), ESD (SMD = -0.66, 95% CI = -2.35 to 1.02, P = 0.44), and PWT (SMD = -2.20, 95% CI = -5.89 to 1.47, P = 0.24). A trend toward an increase in mass postimplantation was found (SMD = 0.28, 95%, CI = -0.03 to 0.60, P = 0.08), but there was no significant difference in mass index (SMD = 0, 95%, CI = -0.195 to 0.195, P = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Thoracic aortic stenting does not appear to significantly impact cardiac physiology as indicated by echocardiographic parameters.

Cardiac remodelling following thoracic endovascular aortic repair for descending aortic aneurysms

OBJECTIVES

Current endografts for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) are much stiffer than the aorta and have been shown to induce acute stiffening. In this study, we aimed to estimate the impact of TEVAR on left ventricular (LV) stroke work (SW) and mass using a non-invasive image-based workflow.

METHODS

The University of Michigan database was searched for patients treated with TEVAR for descending aortic pathologies (2013-2016). Patients with available pre-TEVAR and post-TEVAR computed tomography angiography and echocardiography data were selected. LV SW was estimated via patient-specific fluid-structure interaction analyses. LV remodelling was quantified through morphological measurements using echocardiography and electrocardiographic-gated computed tomography angiography data.

RESULTS

Eight subjects were included in this study, the mean age of the patients was 68 (73, 25) years, and 6 patients were women. All patients were prescribed antihypertensive drugs following TEVAR. The fluid-structure interaction simulations computed a 26% increase in LV SW post-TEVAR [0.94 (0.89, 0.34) J to 1.18 (1.11, 0.65) J, P = 0.012]. Morphological measurements revealed an increase in the LV mass index post-TEVAR of +26% in echocardiography [72 (73, 17)  g/m2 to 91 (87, 26)  g/m2, P = 0.017] and +15% in computed tomography angiography [52 (46, 29)  g/m2 to 60 (57, 22)  g/m2, P = 0.043]. The post- to pre-TEVAR LV mass index ratio was positively correlated with the post- to pre-TEVAR ratios of SW and the mean blood pressure (ρ = 0.690, P = 0.058 and ρ = 0.786, P = 0.021, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

TEVAR was associated with increased LV SW and mass during follow-up. Medical device manufacturers should develop more compliant devices to reduce the stiffness mismatch with the aorta. Additionally, intensive antihypertensive management is needed to control blood pressure post-TEVAR.

Influence of TEVAR on blood pressure in subacute type B aortic dissection (TBAD) patients with refractory and non-refractory arterial hypertension

BACKGROUND

Aim of this study was to compare the modifications of systemic blood pressure in patients with subacute type b aortic dissection (TBAD) and refractory (rHTN) and non-refractory arterial hypertension (N-rHTN) treated by thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).

METHODS

Patients were divided into two groups, rHTN defined as blood pressure >140/90 mmHg with ≥5 antihypertensive drugs and patients with N-rHTN. Primary endpoint was the variation of mean systolic, diastolic and overall pressure (MSP, MDP and MAP) before and after antihypertensive treatment or TEVAR. Secondary endpoints were the 30-days mortality. Fifty-seven patients were included in this study.

RESULTS

Of the 44 Patients of the TEVAR group 21 were included in the N-rHTN group. The MSP before and after surgery for the N-rHTN group was 130 (±10 SD) and 111 (±22 SD) mmHg, P=0.01. In the rHTN group 164 (±17 SD) and 118 (±17 SD) mmHg (P=0.01). The reduction of MSP was greater in the rHTN group (P=0.01). The MAP before and after the TEVAR for the N-rHTN group was 90 (±10 SD) and 74 (±12 SD) mmHg (P=0.01), in the rHTN group 111 (±14 SD) and 70 (±9 SD) mmHg (P=0.01). The overall mortality rate group was 2.2% (1/44).

CONCLUSIONS

TEVAR for TBAD appears to positively affect blood pressure in patients with rHTN and N-rHTN.

Left ventricular remodeling in patients with acute type B aortic dissection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair: Short- and mid-term outcomes

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular (LV) remodeling remains unknown in patients with acute Type B aortic dissection (aTBAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) during follow-up.

METHODS

Between May 2004 and January 2016, 163 consecutive patients (136 males, mean preoperative age: 51.06 ± 10.79 years) with aTBAD underwent TEVAR. A linear mixed model was used to evaluate risk factor influencing on LV remodeling and investigate longitudinal changes in LV thickness, diameter, volume, function and mass at preoperation, postoperation, short- and mid-term follow-up.

RESULTS

Median follow-up time was 48.0 months (quartiles 1-3, 31-84 months, maximum 147 months). LV thickness and mass followed a continuous downward trend over time. Interventricular septal thickness at end-diastole significantly decreased at mid-term follow-up (time, p < 0.001: preoperative 11.59 ± 0.14 mm vs mid-term 10.82 ± 0.15 mm, p < 0.001; postoperative 11.40 ± 0.14 mm vs mid-term 10.82 ± 0.15 mm, p = 0.006). LV posterior wall thickness at end-diastole was markedly reduced at mid-term follow-up (time, p < 0.001: preoperative 10.89 ± 0.11 mm vs mid-term 10.02 ± 0.11 mm, p < 0.001; postoperative 10.78 ± 0.13 mm vs mid-term 10.02 ± 0.11 mm, p < 0.001; short-term 10.56 ± 0.15 mm vs mid-term 10.02 ± 0.11 mm, p = 0.021). LV mass index markedly decreased during follow-up (time, p = 0.001: preoperative 129.60 ± 3.55 g/m² vs short-term 119.26 ± 3.19 g/m², p = 0.009; preoperative 129.60 ± 3.55 g/m² vs mid-term 115.79 ± 3.62 g/m², p = 0.003). LV function was improved, but not significantly so, during follow-up. Strict blood pressure control had no influence on LV remodeling. True lumen followed a continuous enlargement trend in terms of proximal thoracic aorta and celiac trunk level during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

TEVAR can reverse LV remodeling and LV hypertrophy in patients with aTBAD during follow-up.

Changes in aortic pulse wave velocity of four thoracic aortic stent grafts in an ex vivo porcine model

Objectives

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has been shown to lead to increased aortic stiffness. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stent graft type and stent graft length on aortic stiffness in a controlled, experimental setting.

Methods

Twenty porcine thoracic aortas were connected to a pulsatile mock loop system. Intraluminal pressure was recorded at two sites in order to measure pulse wave velocity (PWV) for each aorta: before stent graft deployment (t₁); after deployment of a 100-mm long stent graft (t₂); and after distal extension through deployment of a second 100-mm long stent graft (t₃). Four different types of stent grafts (Conformable Gore^® TAG^® Device, Bolton Relay^® Device, Cook Zenith Alpha^™, and Medtronic Valiant^®) were evaluated.

Results

For the total cohort of 20 aortas, PWV increased by a mean 0.6 m/s or 8.9% of baseline PWV after deployment of a 100-mm proximal stent graft (P<0.001), and by a mean 1.4 m/s or 23.0% of baseline PWV after distal extension of the stent graft (P<0.001). Univariable regression analysis showed a significant correlation between aortic PWV and extent of stent graft coverage, (P<0.001), but no significant effect of baseline aortic length, baseline aortic PWV, or stent graft type on the percentual increase in PWV at t₂ or at t₃.

Conclusions

In this experimental set-up, aortic stiffness increased significantly after stent graft deployment with each of the four types of stent graft, with the increase in aortic stiffness depending on the extent of stent graft coverage.