Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis reduced the frequency of intradialytic hypotension

Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a common complication during hemodialysis that increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Aortic stenosis (AS) is a cause of IDH. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become an established treatment for patients with severe AS. However, whether TAVR reduce the frequency of IDH has not been investigated. This study aims to verify the efficacy of TAVR for reduction of the frequency of IDH. Consecutive hemodialysis patients who underwent TAVR at Sendai Kosei Hospital from February 2021 to November 2021 with available records 1 month before and 3 months after TAVR were included in the study. IDH was defined as a decrease in systolic blood pressure by 20 mmHg or a decrease in the mean blood pressure by 10 mmHg associated with hypotensive symptoms or requiring intervention. Patients with ≥ 3 episodes of IDH in ten hemodialysis sessions comprised the IDH group. Overall, 18/41 (43.9%) patients were classified into the IDH group. In ten hemodialysis sessions, IDH events were observed 2.1, 4.3, and 0.4 times in the overall cohort, IDH group, and non-IDH group, respectively. After TAVR, the incidence of IDH decreased from 43.2 to 10.3% (p < 0.0001) and IDH improved significantly in 15 patients in the IDH group. The result suggested that severe AS was the major cause of IDH in this cohort, and TAVR may be an effective treatment option for reduction of the frequency of IDH in patients with severe AS.

Predictive Factors of Cardiac Mortality Following TEER in Patients with Secondary Mitral Regurgitation

Background: Transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TEER) has emerged as a viable approach to addressing substantial secondary mitral regurgitation. In the contemporary landscape where ultimate heart failure-specific therapies, such as cardiac replacement modalities, are available, prognosticating a high-risk cohort susceptible to early cardiac mortality post-TEER is pivotal for formulating an effective therapeutic regimen. Methods: Our study encompassed individuals with secondary mitral regurgitation and chronic heart failure enlisted in the multi-center (Optimized CathEter vAlvular iNtervention (OCEAN)-Mitral registry. We conducted an assessment of baseline variables associated with cardiac death within one year following TEER. Results: Amongst the 1517 patients (median age: 78 years, 899 males), 101 experienced cardiac mortality during the 1-year observation period after undergoing TEER. Notably, a history of heart failure-related admissions within the preceding year, utilization of intravenous inotropes, and elevated plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels emerged as independent prognosticators for the primary outcome (p < 0.05 for all). Subsequently, we devised a novel risk-scoring system encompassing these variables, which significantly stratified the cumulative incidence of the 1-year primary outcome (16%, 8%, and 4%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our study culminated in the development of a new risk-scoring system aimed at predicting 1-year cardiac mortality post-TEER.

One-Year Outcomes and Their Relationship to Residual Mitral Regurgitation After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair With MitraClip Device: Insights From the OCEAN-Mitral Registry

Background Limited data are available about clinical outcomes and residual mitral regurgitation (MR) after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in the large Asian-Pacific cohort. Methods and Results From the Optimized Catheter Valvular Intervention (OCEAN-Mitral) registry, a total of 2150 patients (primary cause of 34.6%) undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge repair were analyzed and classified into 3 groups according to the residual MR severity at discharge: MR 0+/1+, 2+, and 3+/4+. The mortality and heart failure hospitalization rates at 1 year were 12.3% and 15.0%, respectively. Both MR and symptomatic improvement were sustained at 1 year with MR ≤2+ in 94.1% of patients and New York Heart Association functional class I/II in 95.0% of patients. Compared with residual MR 0+/1+ (20.4%) at discharge, both residual MR 2+ (30.2%; P < 0.001) and 3+/4+ (32.4%; P = 0.007) were associated with the higher incidence of death or heart failure hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.59; P < 0.001, and adjusted HR, 1.73; P = 0.008). New York Heart Association class III/IV at 1 year was more common in the MR 3+/4+ group (20.0%) than in the MR 0+/1+ (4.6%; P < 0.001) and MR 2+ (6.4%; P < 0.001) groups, and the proportion of New York Heart Association class I is significantly higher in the MR 1+ group (57.8%) than in the MR 2+ group (48.3%; P = 0.02). Conclusions The OCEAN-Mitral registry demonstrated favorable clinical outcomes and sustained MR reduction at 1 year in patients undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. Both residual MR 2+ and 3+/4+ after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair at discharge were associated with worse clinical outcomes compared with residual MR 0+/1+. Registration Information https://upload.umin.ac.jp. Identifier: UMIN000023653.

Impact of Gender on Mortality After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Functional Mitral Regurgitation

Recent studies suggested short-term mortality after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) was comparable between men and women. However, the gender-specific prognostic difference in the long-term follow-up after TEER is still unknown. To evaluate the impact of gender on long-term mortality after TEER for functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) using multicenter registry data. We retrospectively analyzed 1,233 patients (male 60.3%) who underwent TEER for FMR at 24 centers. The impact of gender on all-cause death and hospitalization for heart failure (HF) after TEER was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis and propensity score (PS) matching methods. During the 2-year follow-up, 207 all-cause death and 263 hospitalizations for HF were observed after TEER for FMR. Men had a significantly higher incidence of all-cause death than women (18.6% vs 14.1%, log-rank p = 0.03). After adjustment by multivariate Cox regression and PS matching, the male gender was significantly associated with a higher incidence of all-cause mortality after TEER than the female gender (hazard ratio 2.11, 95% confidence interval 1.42 to 3.14 in multivariate Cox regression; hazard ratio 1.89, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 3.48 in PS matching). The gender-specific prognostic difference was even more pronounced after 1-year of TEER. On the contrary, there was no gender-related difference in hospitalization for HF after TEER. In conclusion, women with FMR had a better prognosis after TEER than men, whereas this was not observed in hospitalization for HF. This result might indicate that women with FMR are more likely to benefit from TEER.

Prognostic Value of Increased Mitral Valve Gradient After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Primary Mitral Regurgitation

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to evaluate the prognostic value of an increased mean mitral valve pressure gradient (MVG) in patients with primary mitral regurgitation (MR) after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER).

BACKGROUND

Conflicting data exist regarding impact of increased mean MVG on outcomes after TEER.

METHODS

This study included 419 patients with primary MR (mean age 80.6 ± 10.4 years; 40.6% female) who underwent TEER. Patients were divided into quartiles (Qs) based on discharge echocardiographic mean MVG. Primary outcome was the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality and the secondary composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization, and mitral valve reintervention.

RESULTS

The median number of MitraClips used was 2 per patient. MR reduction ≤moderate was achieved in 407 (97.1%) patients. Mean MVG was 1.9 ± 0.3 mm Hg, 3.0 ± 0.1 mm Hg, 4.0 ± 0.1 mm Hg, and 6.0 ± 1.2 mm Hg in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively. There was no significant differences across quartiles in the primary outcome (15.4%, 19.6%, 22.0%, and 21.9% in Q1-Q4, respectively; P = 0.63), all-cause mortality (15.9% vs 18.6% vs 19.4% vs 17.1%, respectively; P = 0.91), and the secondary composite endpoint at 2 years (33.3% vs 29.5% vs 22.0% vs 31.6%, respectively; P = 0.37). After multivariate adjustment for baseline clinical and procedural variables, the mean MVG in Q4 compared with Q1 to Q3 was not independently associated with the primary outcome (HR: 1.22; 95% CI: 0.82-1.83; P = 0.33), all-cause mortality, and the secondary composite endpoint.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased mean MVG was not independently associated with adverse events after TEER in patients with primary MR.

Delivery balloon volume positively correlates with the diameter and effective orifice area of implanted SAPIEN 3

BACKGROUND

In transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using SAPIEN 3 (S3) (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA), some clinicians decrease or increase the delivery balloon volume (VOL) when deploying S3 or conducting post-dilatation. However, the effects of controlling VOL on transcatheter heart valve diameter (THVD) and valve function remain unclear. We assessed associations among VOL, THVD, and effective orifice area (EOA) of S3.

METHODS

We enrolled patients undergoing TAVR using 23- and 26-mm S3 in Sendai Kousei Hospital between 2017 and 2019. VOL was controlled based on preprocedural computed tomography and intraprocedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). THVD were defined as the diameters of transcatheter heart valve at mid-level measured by TEE.

RESULTS

In enrolled 332 patients (23-mm, n = 188; 26-mm, n = 144), one (0.3%) and two (0.6%) developed annulus rupture and moderate/severe paravalvular leak, respectively. VOL at deployment was positively correlated with THVD on deployment (23-mm, r = 0.44, p < 0.001; 26-mm, r = 0.57, p < 0.001) and EOA (23-mm, r = 0.23, p = 0.0019; 26-mm, r = 0.22, p = 0.0094). In multiple regression analyses, VOL and post-dilatation were significant determinants of THVD, although aortic annulus area, calcium volume, and pre-dilatation were not. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve that were used to evaluate the accuracy of the index obtained by dividing THVD by body surface area (indexed THVD) to predict patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) were 0.744 and 0.811 in the 23- and 26-mm cohorts, respectively. A cut-off indexed THVD of ≤11.5 and 12.1 mm/m² well predicted PPM (23-mm, odds ratio, 5.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-20.3; 26-mm, odds ratio 14.1, 95% confidence interval 2.40-81.0).

CONCLUSION

VOL was positively correlated with THVD and EOA. Smaller indexed THVD was associated with a higher incidence of PPM. Controlling VOL under on-site THVD evaluation may be useful in reducing the PPM incidence.

En face view of the transcatheter heart valve from deep right-anterior-oblique cranial position for coronary access after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a case series

Background

Coronary access after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is challenging due to the changes in aortic geometry. The perpendicular (long-axis) view of the transcatheter heart valve (THV) is usually used as the primary fluoroscopic angle. However, it does not always provide sufficient information on the rotational axis needed for selective coronary ostia engagement. The en face (short-axis) view from the deep right-anterior-oblique cranial position gives us additional information about three-dimensional spatial relationship of the THV and coronary ostia.

Case summary

We present three cases of coronary access after TAVI. We were successful in the use of the ‘en face’ view along with the perpendicular view in these cases.

Discussion

The use of the en face view complements that of the perpendicular long-axis view since it allows the understanding of the three-dimensional spatial relationship of the THV and the coronary ostia during fluoroscopy and control of catheter manipulation in two directions (up/down for perpendicular and clockwise/counterclockwise for en face view). We believe that the en face view helps improve the technical success of coronary access after TAVI.

Patients' characteristics and mortality in urgent/emergent/salvage transcatheter aortic valve replacement: insight from the OCEAN-TAVI registry

Objectives

Patients’ backgrounds and clinical outcomes in urgent/emergent/salvage transcatheter aortic valve replacement (Em-TAVR) remain unclear. We investigated patient characteristics and the mortality in Em-TAVR and the predictors for the need for Em-TAVR.

Methods

We consecutively enrolled 1613 patients undergoing TAVR for severe aortic stenosis between October 2013 and July 2016 from the Optimised transCathEter vAlvular interventioN (OCEAN)-transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) registry. The urgency was based on the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II. Urgent, emergent or salvage were included with the Em-TAVR group and elective with the El-TAVR group.

Results

Em-TAVR was observed in 87 (5.4%) patients. A higher Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), peripheral artery disease (PAD), hypoalbuminaemia, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and preoperative at least moderate mitral regurgitation (MR) predicted the need for the Em-TAVR by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The Em-TAVR group had the higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score (13.7 (IQR 8.2–21.0) vs 6.5 (IQR 4.6–9.2); p<0.001) and higher 30-day mortality (9.2% vs 1.3%; p<0.001) than the El-TAVR group. Accordingly, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative mortality was higher in the Em-TAVR group than that in the El-TAVR group (log-rank; p<0.001). However, Em-TAVR did not predict mortality in the multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Conclusions

Em-TAVR was performed in 5.4% of patients. Higher CFS, PAD, hypoalbuminaemia, reduced LVEF and preprocedural MR predicted the need for Em-TAVR. Em-TAVR was not a predictor for mortality in the multivariate analysis, suggesting that it is a reasonable treatment option.

Atrial Septal Defect Closure via Left Subclavian Vein Approach in a Patient With Absent Inferior Vena Cava

Without the femoral venous approach, transcatheter closure of an atrial septal defect is challenging. We performed percutaneous closure via the left subclavian vein in a patient with absence of the inferior vena cava with azygos continuation. Considering that inferior vena cava anomalies are not extremely rare among those with congenital heart disease, the left subclavian vein approach can be an alternative to the femoral approach.

Incidence and predictors of prosthesis-patient mismatch after TAVI using SAPIEN 3 in Asian: differences between the newer and older balloon-expandable valve

Background

The balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 (S3) is superior to the older-generation balloon-expandable SAPIEN XT (XT) in a lower incidence of paravalvular aortic regurgitation, lower complication rates and better survival in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, prosthesis–patient mismatch (PPM) more frequently occurs in S3 than XT. Further, little information is available on PPM after TAVI using S3 in Asians. This study aims to determine the incidence and predictors of PPM in S3 by focusing on the difference between S3 and XT using data from a Japanese multicentre registry.

Methods

From the Optimised transCathEter vAlvular iNtervention-TAVI (OCEAN-TAVI) registry, 2134 patients undergoing TAVI using S3 or XT were included. PPM was defined as moderate if ≧0.65 but ≦0.85 cm²/m² or severe if <0.65 cm²/m² at the indexed effective orifice area by postprocedural echocardiography.

Results

The incidence of moderate and severe PPM in S3 was 13.3% and 1.3%, respectively. The 20 mm transcatheter heart valve (THV) was more frequently used in S3 than XT (7.4% vs 2.4%, p<0.0001). PPM was more frequently observed in S3 than XT (14.7% vs 8.8%, p<0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed S3 predicted PPM (OR 1.92 (95% CI 1.35 to 2.74), p=0.0003). The mutual predictors for PPM between S3 and XT were younger age, larger body surface area, smaller aortic valve area, no balloon postdilatation and the use of 20 mm and 23 mm THV. When comparing 23 mm, 26 mm and 29 mm S3, the ORs of 20 mm S3 were 5.67 (95% CI 2.88 to 11.12), 19.24 (95% CI 8.13 to 46.86) and 51.03 (95% CI 12.28 to 280.77), respectively.

Conclusions

The incidence of PPM after TAVI using S3 was 14.6% overall in this Asian population. PPM was more frequently observed in S3 than XT. A considerable number of patients were treated by the 20 mm S3 in an Asian cohort. The 20 mm THV was identified as a strong predictor for PPM.

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement

Transcatheter mitral valve (MV) repair, specifically the edge-to-edge leaflet repair, is a less invasive treatment of symptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with high or prohibitive surgical risk. In cases with severe leaflet calcification, small mitral orifice area, and/or extremely wide regurgitation across the entire MV commissure, transcatheter MV repair may rather cause suboptimal or potentially hazardous outcomes. In these cases, MV replacement can be a more suitable option. Recently, percutaneous transcatheter MV replacement has emerged as an acceptable therapeutic option for the treatment of degenerated surgical bioprosthetic disease. Moreover, several transcatheter devices for native MV replacement are under evaluation with a hope to provide more complete and reproducible restoration of MV function. In this article, we will review current status, applications, clinical outcomes, and limitations that need to be overcome for transcatheter MV replacement for both degenerated surgical bioprosthetic disease and native MV disorders.

Iatrogenic Iliac Vein Compression Syndrome Caused Because of Inappropriate Length and Positioning of Vascular Graft

Iliac vein compression syndrome (IVCS) can occasionally be iatrogenic; however, iatrogenic IVCS cases occurring because of inappropriate length and positioning of vascular grafts have not been reported. We present the case of an 80-year-old woman with iatrogenic IVCS resulting from kinked and overlapping limbs of a bifurcated abdominal vascular prosthesis for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. She complained of discomfort in her left leg immediately after aortic replacement. Venous stenting was effective for IVCS occurring because of compression of the vascular prosthesis. Iatrogenic IVCS occurred because of inappropriate length and positioning of the vascular graft and was considered a postoperative complication.

Impact of the Clinical Frailty Scale on Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background:

The semiquantitative Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a simple tool to assess patients’ frailty and has been shown to correlate with mortality in elderly patients even when evaluated by nongeriatricians. The aim of the current study was to determine the prognostic value of CFS in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Methods:

We utilized the OCEAN (Optimized Catheter Valvular Intervention) Japanese multicenter registry to review data of 1215 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Patients were categorized into 5 groups based on the CFS stages: CFS 1-3, CFS 4, CFS 5, CFS 6, and CFS ≥7. We subsequently evaluated the relationship between CFS grading and other indicators of frailty, including body mass index, serum albumin, gait speed, and mean hand grip. We also assessed differences in baseline characteristics, procedural outcomes, and early and midterm mortality among the 5 groups.

Results:

Patient distribution into the 5 CFS groups was as follows: 38.0% (CFS 1-3), 32.9% (CFS4), 15.1% (CFS 5), 10.0% (CFS 6), and 4.0% (CFS ≥7). The CFS grade showed significant correlation with body mass index (Spearman’s ρ=−0.077, P =0.007), albumin (ρ=−0.22, P <0.001), gait speed (ρ=−0.28, P <0.001), and grip strength (ρ=−0.26, P <0.001). Cumulative 1-year mortality increased with increasing CFS stage (7.2%, 8.6%. 15.7%, 16.9%, 44.1%, P <0.001). In a Cox regression multivariate analysis, the CFS (per 1 category increase) was an independent predictive factor of increased late cumulative mortality risk (hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.10–1.49; P <0.001).

Conclusions:

In addition to reflecting the degree of frailty, the CFS was a useful marker for predicting late mortality in an elderly transcatheter aortic valve replacement cohort.

Transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation for failed mitral prosthesis: the first experience in Japan

An 82-year-old woman had a history of mitral valve replacement with a 25-mm MOSAIC (Medtronic, USA) for severe mitral regurgitation (MR) 8 years previously. Recently, she developed heart failure due to MR secondary to prosthetic valve failure. She underwent transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation with a 23-mm SAPIEN XT (Edwards Lifesciences, USA) to the prosthetic mitral valve by transapical approach. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of transcatheter valve implantation for failed mitral prosthetic valve using valve-in-valve technique in Japan.

Development of a three-electrode-lens drift tube for time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A three-electrode-lens drift tube for time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) has been developed for utilizing a detector to observe photon-stimulated desorption (PSD). In spite of a small detection area, the detector has a high detection efficiency and durability to reactive gas atmosphere at high pressure. The TOF-MS performance of the drift tube was examined for PSD using single-bunch-mode synchrotron radiation on a dichlorosilane (SiH(2)Cl(2))-saturated Si(001) surface. The measured acceleration and focusing-voltage dependences of the time of flight, intensity and full width at half-maximum for the peak of H(+) and Cl(+) PSD ions are discussed in terms of the numerical calculations of ion trajectories and focusing characteristic of the drift tube.