Project description:It is unknown how much different are the clinical outcomes between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). In the CURRENT AS registry enrolling 3,815 consecutive patients with severe AS, we compared the long-term outcomes between 1808 asymptomatic and 1215 symptomatic patients (exertional dyspnea: N = 813, syncope: N = 136, and angina: N = 266) without heart failure (HF) hospitalization. Symptomatic patients had greater AS severity, and more depressed left ventricular function than asymptomatic patients without much difference in other baseline characteristics. During a median follow-up of 3.2 years, aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed in 62% of symptomatic patients, and 38% of asymptomatic patients. The cumulative 5-year incidences for the primary outcome measure (a composite of aortic valve-related death or HF hospitalization) was higher in symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic patients (32.3% versus 27.6%, P < 0.001). After adjusting for AVR and other variables, the greater risk of symptomatic relative to asymptomatic patients for the primary outcome measure was significant (hazard ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.41-1.96, P < 0.001). In conclusions, the excess risk of symptomatic relative to asymptomatic patients with severe AS for the aortic valve-related event was significant. However, the prevalence of AVR in symptomatic patients was not optimal.
Project description:AimsExercise testing remains underused in patients with aortic stenosis (AS), partly due to concerns about an exercise-induced drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP). We aimed to study the SBP response to exercise in patients with severe symptomatic AS prior to surgery and 1 year postoperatively.MethodsPatients scheduled for aortic valve replacement due to severe symptomatic AS were enrolled at a single centre in a prospective observational cohort study. Maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was performed on a cycle ergometer at baseline and 1 year postoperatively, using standard termination criteria. The SBP response was categorised according to the last measurements of SBP during exercise, in relation to workload (the SBP/watt-slope) as 'normal' (>0.25 mm Hg/watt), 'flat' (0-0.25 mm Hg/watt) or 'drop' (<0 mm Hg/watt).Results45 patients (28 male, 66±9 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 59%±5%, aortic jet velocity 4.6±0.5 m/s) were included, with pairwise comparison available in 31 cases. There were no adverse events. Preoperatively, 4/45 patients were categorised as 'drop', 23 as 'flat' and 18 as 'normal'. There was a change in the distribution of categories from preoperative to postoperative measurements (43% 'normal' vs 74% 'normal', p=0.0046). Maximal SBP and workload-indexed SBP were higher postoperatively than preoperatively (203±26 vs 182±28 mm Hg, p<0.001 and 0.43±0.14 vs 0.29±0.15 mm Hg/watt, p<0.001).ConclusionAs a drop in SBP was infrequent (<10%) in patients with severe symptomatic AS and no adverse events occurred, our results indicate that CPET may be performed under careful monitoring in AS patients. Postoperatively, the SBP reaction improved, with no patient having a drop in SBP.Trial registration numberNCT02790008.
Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate whether transcatheter or surgical aortic valve replacement (TAVR or SAVR) affects clinical and haemodynamic outcomes in symptomatic patients with moderately-severe aortic stenosis (AS).MethodsEchocardiographic evidence of severe AS for enrolment in the Evolut Low Risk trial was based on site-reported measurements. For this post hoc analysis, core laboratory measurements identified patients with symptomatic moderately-severe AS (1.0<aortic valve area (AVA)<1.5 cm2, 3.0<peak velocity<4.0 m/s and 20≤mean gradient (MG) <40 mm Hg). Clinical outcomes were reported through 2 years.ResultsModerately-severe AS was identified in 113 out of 1414 patients (8%). Baseline AVA was 1.1±0.1 cm2, peak velocity 3.7±0.2 m/s, MG 32.7±4.8 mm Hg and aortic valve calcium volume 588 (364, 815) mm3. Valve haemodynamics improved following TAVR (AVA 2.5±0.7 cm2, peak velocity 1.9±0.5 m/s and MG 8.4±4.8 mm Hg; p<0.001 for all) and SAVR (AVA 2.0±0.6 cm2, peak velocity 2.1±0.4 m/s and MG 10.0±3.4 mm Hg; p<0.001 for all). At 24 months, the rates of death or disabling stroke were similar (TAVR 7.7% vs SAVR 6.5%; p=0.82). Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall summary score assessing quality of life improved from baseline to 30 days after TAVR (67.0±20.6 to 89.3±13.4; p<0.001) and SAVR (67.5±19.6 to 78.3±22.3; p=0.001).ConclusionsIn symptomatic patients with moderately-severe AS, AVR appears to be beneficial. Determination of the clinical and haemodynamic profile of patients who can benefit from earlier isolated AVR needs further investigation in randomised clinical trials.
Project description:BackgroundGiven enough time, transcatheter heart valves (THVs) will degenerate and may require reintervention. Redo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an attractive strategy but carries a risk of coronary obstruction.AimsWe sought to predict how many TAVIs patients could undergo in their lifetime using computed tomography (CT) simulation.MethodsWe analysed paired CT scans (baseline and 30 days post-TAVI) from patients in the LRT trial and EPROMPT registry. We implanted virtual THVs on baseline CTs, comparing predicted valve-to-coronary (VTC) distances to 30-day CT VTC distances to evaluate the accuracy of CT simulation. We then simulated implantation of a second virtual THV within the first to estimate the risk of coronary obstruction due to sinus sequestration and the need for leaflet modification.ResultsWe included 213 patients with evaluable paired CTs. There was good agreement between virtual (baseline) and actual (30 days) CT measurements. CT simulation of TAVI followed by redo TAVI predicted low coronary obstruction risk in 25.4% of patients and high risk, likely necessitating leaflet modification, in 27.7%, regardless of THV type. The remaining 46.9% could undergo redo TAVI so long as the first THV was balloon-expandable but would likely require leaflet modification if the first THV was self-expanding.ConclusionsUsing cardiac CT simulation, it is possible to predict whether a patient can undergo multiple TAVI procedures in their lifetime. Those who cannot may prefer to undergo surgery first. CT simulation could provide a personalised lifetime management strategy for younger patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and inform decision-making.Clinicaltrialsgov: NCT02628899; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03557242; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03423459.
Project description:A patient with structural valve degeneration of an aortic bioprosthesis with stenosis stage 3 underwent valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) at 29 weeks with improvement. This is the first reported TAVR in the third trimester. TAVR may be an alternative to preterm delivery in cases of symptomatic aortic stenosis.
Project description:We describe the complex case of a 32-year-old pregnant woman with known severe aortic stenosis, who was displaced by the Ukrainian-Russian War. She arrived in the United Kingdom at 32 weeks' gestation speaking minimal English, but requiring urgent multidisciplinary care to facilitate appropriate antenatal, peripartum, and postpartum care.
Project description:Background Patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and a history of chest radiation therapy represent a complex and challenging cohort. It is unknown how transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ) compares with surgical aortic valve replacement in this group of patients, which was the objective of this study. Methods and Results We retrospectively reviewed all patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent either TAVR or surgical aortic valve replacement at our institution with a history of mediastinal radiation (n=55 per group). End points were echocardiographic and clinical outcomes in-hospital, at 30 days, and at 1 year. Inverse propensity weighting analysis was used to account for intergroup baseline differences. TAVR patients had a higher STS score than surgical aortic valve replacement patients (5.1% [3.2, 7.7] versus 1.6% [0.8, 2.6], P<0.001) and more often ( P<0.01 for all) a history of atrial fibrillation (45.5% versus 12.7%), chronic lung disease (47.3% versus 7.3%), peripheral arterial disease (38.2% versus 7.3%), heart failure (58.2% versus 18.2%), and pacemaker therapy (23.6% versus 1.8%). Postoperative atrial fibrillation was less frequent (1.8% versus 27.3%; P<0.001) and hospital stay was shorter in TAVR patients (4.0 [2.0, 5.0] versus 6.0 [5.0, 8.0] days; P<0.001). The ratio of observed-to-expected 30-day mortality was lower after TAVR as was 30-day mortality in inverse propensity weighting-adjusted Kaplan-Meier analyses. Conclusions In patients with severe aortic stenosis and a history of chest radiation therapy, TAVR performs better than predicted along with less adjusted 30-day all-cause mortality, postoperative atrial fibrillation, and shorter hospitalization compared with surgical aortic valve replacement. These data support further studies on the preferred role of TAVR in this unique patient population.