Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in obese patients: procedural vascular complications with the trans-femoral and trans-carotid access routes

Obesity; Transcarotid; TransfemoralObesidad; Transcarotídea; TransfemoralObesitat; Transcaròtida; TransfemoralOBJECTIVES Obesity may increase the risk of vascular complications in transfemoral (TF) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. The transcarotid (TC) approach has recently emerged as an alternative access in TAVR. We sought to compare vascular complications and early clinical outcomes in obese patients undergoing TAVR either by TF or TC vascular access. METHODS Multicentre registry including obese patients undergoing TF- or TC-TAVR in 15 tertiary centres. All patients received newer-generation transcatheter heart valves. For patients exhibiting unfavourable ileo-femoral anatomic characteristics, the TC approach was favoured in 3 centres with experience with it. A propensity score analysis was performed for overcoming unbalanced baseline covariates. The primary end point was the occurrence of in-hospital vascular complications (Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria). RESULTS A total of 539 patients were included, 454 (84.2%) and 85 (15.8%) had a TF and TC access, respectively. In the propensity-adjusted cohort (TF: 442 patients; TC: 85 patients), both baseline and procedural valve-related characteristics were well-balanced between groups. A significant decrease in vascular complications was observed in the TC group (3.5% vs 12% in the TF group, odds ratio: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.07–0.95, P = 0.037). There were no statistically significant differences between groups regarding in-hospital mortality (TC: 2.8%, TF: 1.5%), stroke (TC: 1.2%, TF: 0.4%) and life-threatening/major bleeding events (TC: 2.8%, TF: 3.8%). CONCLUSIONS In patients with obesity undergoing TAVR with newer-generation devices, the TC access was associated with a lower rate of vascular complications. Larger randomized studies are warranted to further assess the better approach for TAVR in obese patients

Conduction Disturbances After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Current Status and Future Perspectives

International audienceTranscatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a well-accepted option for treating patients with aortic stenosis at intermediate to high or prohibitive surgical risk. TAVR-related conduction disturbances, mainly new-onset left bundle-branch block and advanced atrioventricular block requiring permanent pacemaker implantation, remain the most common complication of this procedure. Furthermore, improvements in TAVR technology, akin to the increasing experience of operators/centers, have translated to a major reduction in periprocedural complications, yet the incidence of conduction disturbances has remained relatively high, with perhaps an increasing trend over time. Several factors have been associated with a heightened risk of conduction disturbances and permanent pacemaker implantation after TAVR, with prior right bundle-branch block and transcatheter valve type and implantation depth being the most commonly reported. New-onset left bundle-branch block and the need for permanent pacemaker implantation may have a significant detrimental association with patients' prognosis. Consequently, strategies intended to reduce the risk and to improve the management of such complications are of paramount importance, particularly in an era when TAVR expansion toward treating lower-risk patients is considered inevitable. In this article, we review the available evidence on the incidence, predictive factors, and clinical association of conduction disturbances after TAVR and propose a strategy for the management of these complications

Feasibility, Safety and Efficacy of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Without Balloon Pre-Dilation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

International audienceObjectives: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of direct transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), that is, TAVR without balloon predilation (BPD), by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of available evidence.Background: Avoiding BPD during TAVR was shown to be feasible in previous studies but the risks and benefits of this technique are unknown owing to the limited number of patients included in these studies.Methods: We performed a systematic search for studies comparing direct TAVR vs TAVR performed with BPD. Crude risk ratios (RRs) or mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each endpoint were calculated using random effects models.Results: Twenty studies including 3586 patients (1606 undergoing direct TAVR) were selected for the analysis. Mean device success with direct TAVR was 88% with <5% of bail-out techniques. There were no differences between direct and BPD-TAVR in short-term (in-hospital or 30-day) mortality (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.78–1.43) or cerebrovascular events (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.58–1.46). Direct TAVR associated with reduced moderate or severe paravalvular leak post-TAVR (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36–0.98) but not with a reduced risk of permanent pacemaker implantation (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71–1.02). A slight increase in postdilation was observed in direct transfemoral-TAVR recipients (RR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.00–1.44).Conclusion: Direct TAVR is feasible and safe. However, given the unadjusted nature of our results, uncertainties remain regarding the independent effect of direct TAVR on outcomes post-TAVR. Randomized studies are warranted to determine the potential benefits of direct TAVR

Association between coronary artery calcifications and 6-month mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

International audiencePurpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between coronary artery calcium (CAC) visual score and 6-month mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Material and methods: A single-center prospective observational cohort was conducted in 169 COVID-19 consecutive hospitalized patients between March 13 and April 1, 2020, and follow-up for 6-months. A four-level visual CAC scoring was assessed by analyzing images obtained after the first routine non-ECG-gated CT performed to detect COVID-19 pneumonia.Results: Among 169 confirmed COVID-19 patients (118 men, 51 women; mean age, 65.6 ± 18.8 [SD] years; age range: 30-95 years) 63 (37%) presented with either moderate (n = 26, 15.3%) or heavy (n = 37, 21.8%) CAC detected by CT and 20 (11.8%) had history of cardiovascular disease requiring specific preventive treatment. At six months, mortality rate (45/169; 26.6%) increased with magnitude of CAC and was 7/64 (10.9%), 11/42 (26.2%), 10/26 (38.5%), 17/37 (45.9%) for no-CAC, mild-CAC, moderate-CAC and heavy-CAC groups, respectively (P = 0.001). Compared to the no CAC group, risk of death increased after adjustment with magnitude of CAC (HR: 2.23, 95% CI: 0.73-6.87, P = 0.16; HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 0.85-9.07, P0.09; HR: 5.38, 95% CI: 1.57-18.40, P = 0.007; in mild CAC, moderate and heavy CAC groups, respectively). In patients without previous coronary artery disease (154/169; 91%), mortality increased from 10.9% to 45.8% (P = 0.001) according to the magnitude of CAC categories. After adjustment, presence of moderate or heavy CAC was associated with higher mortality (HR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.09-4.69, P = 0.03).Conclusion: By using non-ECG-gated CT during the initial pulmonary assessment of COVID-19, heavy CAC is independently associated with 6-month mortality in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Association between coronary artery calcifications and 6-month mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

International audiencePurpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between coronary artery calcium (CAC) visual score and 6-month mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Material and methods: A single-center prospective observational cohort was conducted in 169 COVID-19 consecutive hospitalized patients between March 13 and April 1, 2020, and follow-up for 6-months. A four-level visual CAC scoring was assessed by analyzing images obtained after the first routine non-ECG-gated CT performed to detect COVID-19 pneumonia.Results: Among 169 confirmed COVID-19 patients (118 men, 51 women; mean age, 65.6 ± 18.8 [SD] years; age range: 30-95 years) 63 (37%) presented with either moderate (n = 26, 15.3%) or heavy (n = 37, 21.8%) CAC detected by CT and 20 (11.8%) had history of cardiovascular disease requiring specific preventive treatment. At six months, mortality rate (45/169; 26.6%) increased with magnitude of CAC and was 7/64 (10.9%), 11/42 (26.2%), 10/26 (38.5%), 17/37 (45.9%) for no-CAC, mild-CAC, moderate-CAC and heavy-CAC groups, respectively (P = 0.001). Compared to the no CAC group, risk of death increased after adjustment with magnitude of CAC (HR: 2.23, 95% CI: 0.73-6.87, P = 0.16; HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 0.85-9.07, P0.09; HR: 5.38, 95% CI: 1.57-18.40, P = 0.007; in mild CAC, moderate and heavy CAC groups, respectively). In patients without previous coronary artery disease (154/169; 91%), mortality increased from 10.9% to 45.8% (P = 0.001) according to the magnitude of CAC categories. After adjustment, presence of moderate or heavy CAC was associated with higher mortality (HR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.09-4.69, P = 0.03).Conclusion: By using non-ECG-gated CT during the initial pulmonary assessment of COVID-19, heavy CAC is independently associated with 6-month mortality in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Long-term mortality after ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the reperfusion and modern secondary prevention therapy era according to coronary artery disease extent: The FAST-MI registries

International audienceBackground. - Historical cohorts have shown extent of coronary artery disease to be a predictor of poorer outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. However, contemporary data in the era of reperfusion and modern secondary prevention therapy are lacking.Aim. - To compare 3-year survival in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with multivessel disease versus those with single-vessel disease.Methods. - Using data from the FAST-MI 2005, 2010 and 2015 registries, three nationwide French surveys, we included all patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention within 24 hours of symptom onset. Baseline characteristics, management and 3-year all-cause mortality were analysed according to coronary status (single-, two- and three-vessel disease).Results. - Among 3907 patients (mean age 62.4 +/- 13.7 years; 75.9% male), patients with multivessel disease (two- or three-vessel disease) accounted for 47.9%; overall, they were older, with higher cardiovascular risk profiles. In a multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression model, only patients with three-vessel disease had a higher rate of mortality at 3 years compared with those with single-vessel disease (hazard ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.68-2.26; P < 0.001). Finally, patients with multivessel disease with complete myocardial revascularization before discharge had a similar prognosis to patients with single-vessel disease (hazard ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.84-1.64; P = 0.35).Conclusions. - Multivessel disease still represents an important proportion of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Although three-vessel disease is associated with higher 3-year mortality, patients with multivessel disease and complete myocardial revascularization in the contemporary era have a 3-year risk of death similar to that in patients with single-vessel disease

CLINICAL STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF PREEXISTING PATIENT-PROSTHESIS MISMATCH ON VALVE-IN-VALVE PERFORMANCE

66th Annual Scientific Session and Expo of the American-College-of-Cardiology (ACC), Washington, DC, MAR 17-19, 2017International audienceno abstrac

Haemodynamic outcomes following aortic valve-in-valve procedure

Background and objectives: Transcatheter aortic valve- in-valve implantation (ViV) has emerged as a valuable technique to treat failed surgical bioprostheses (BPs) in patients with high risk for redo surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Small BP size (≤21 mm), stenotic pattern of degeneration and pre-existing prosthesis– patient mismatch (PPM) have been associated with worse clinical outcomes after ViV. However, no study has evaluated the actual haemodynamic benefit associated with ViV. This study aims to compare haemodynamic status observed at post-ViV, pre-ViV and early after initial SAVR and to determine the factors associated with worse haemodynamic outcomes following ViV, including the rates of high residual gradient and ‘haemodynamic futility’. Methods: Early post-SAVR, pre-ViV and post-ViV echocardiographic data of 79 consecutive patients who underwent aortic ViV at our institution were retrospectively analysed. The primary study endpoint was suboptimal valve haemodynamics (SVH) following ViV defined by the Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 as the presence of high residual aortic mean gradient (≥20 mm Hg) and/or at least moderate aortic regurgitation (AR). Haemodynamic futility of ViV was defined as <10 mm Hg decrease in mean aortic gradient and no improvement in AR compared with pre-ViV. Results: SVH was found in 61% of patients (57% high residual gradient, 4% moderate AR) after ViV versus 24% early after SAVR. Pre-existing PPM and BP mode of failure by stenosis were independently associated with the primary endpoint (OR: 2.87; 95% CI 1.08 to 7.65; p=0.035 and OR: 3.02; 95% CI 1.08 to 8.42; p=0.035, respectively) and with the presence of high residual gradient (OR: 4.38; 95% CI 1.55 to 12.37; p=0.005 and OR: 5.37; 95% CI 1.77 to 16.30; p=0.003, respectively) following ViV. Criteria of ViV haemodynamic futility were met in 7.6% overall and more frequently in patients with pre-existing PPM and stenotic BP (18.5%) compared with other patients (2.0%). ViV restored haemodynamic function to early post-SAVR level in only 34% of patients. Conclusion: Although ViV was associated with significant haemodynamic improvement compared with pre-ViV in >90% of patients, more than half harboured SVH outcome. Furthermore, only one-third of patients had a restoration of valve haemodynamic function to the early post-SAVR level. Pre-existing PPM and stenosis pattern of BP degeneration were the mian factors associated with SVH and haemodynamic futility following ViV. These findings provide strong support for the prevention of PPM at the time of initial SAVR and careful preprocedural patient screening