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Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common and significant comorbidity in patients with low-flow low-gradient (LF-LG) aortic stenosis, impacting prognosis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Non-invasive tools often fail to capture PH's full clinical impact due to inherent limitations. This study evaluates the prognostic significance of PH measured invasively and explores its implications on post-TAVR outcomes., Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 90 patients with symptomatic LF-LG aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was categorized as mild (<35 mmHg), moderate (35-50 mmHg), or severe (>50 mmHg) using invasive right heart catheterization. Key endpoints included 12-month all-cause mortality and heart failure rehospitalization, assessed via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards modeling., Results: PH was present in 50% of patients, with moderate-to-severe cases showing higher mortality (25% vs. 8%, p < 0.001) and rehospitalization rates (20% vs. 6%, p = 0.02). Baseline PASP emerged as an independent predictor of mortality (HR 1.07 per mmHg, p < 0.001) and rehospitalization (HR 1.04 per mmHg, p = 0.01). Subgroup analyses revealed that patients with concomitant COPD or advanced diastolic dysfunction exhibited worse outcomes, underscoring the role of systemic disease burden., Conclusion: Invasive hemodynamic assessment provides superior prognostic insight for PH in LF-LG aortic stenosis patients. The findings advocate for targeted PH management strategies to improve post-TAVR outcomes and challenge the sole reliance on non-invasive methods in high-risk cohorts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have nothing to declare. The authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Malnutrition status is an important predictor of prognosis in patients after aortic valve replacement. However, the prognostic value of malnutrition status in patients with moderate-to-severe aortic stenosis is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of malnutrition on all-cause mortality in patients with moderate-to-severe aortic stenosis using the Patient Controlled Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, nutritional risk index, and prognostic nutritional index., Methods and Results: A total of 536 patients with moderate-to-severe aortic stenosis were selected in the ARISTOTLE (Aortic Valve Diseases Risk Factor Assessment and Prognosis Model Construction) study conducted between January 2013 and December 2022 in 3 academic institutions. Patients were grouped according to different nutritional status assessment methods. CONUT, nutritional risk index, and prognostic nutritional index were calculated at baseline. The primary study outcome was all-cause mortality. Cox regression was used to assess the association between nutritional status and all-cause mortality. During a median 34.2-month follow-up period, a total of 120 (22.4%) patients died. All-cause mortality was significantly higher in lower prognostic nutritional index, lower nutritional risk index, and higher CONUT groups. Compared with normal nutrition, malnutrition was associated with an increased risk for all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio for mild and moderate-severe malnutrition, respectively: 2.82 [95% CI, 1.69-4.71; P <0.001] and 3.31 [95% CI, 1.74-6.32; P <0.001] for the CONUT)., Conclusions: In patients with moderate or severe aortic stenosis, we found that high CONUT scores, low nutritional risk index scores, and low prognostic nutritional index scores were associated with all-cause death. The poorer the nutritional status, the greater the risk of malnutrition-related all-cause mortality., Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT06069232.

Importance: Guidelines advise heart team assessment for all patients with aortic stenosis, with surgical aortic valve replacement recommended for patients younger than 65 years or with a life expectancy greater than 20 years. If bioprosthetic valves are selected, repeat procedures may be needed given limited durability of tissue valves; however, younger patients with aortic stenosis may have major comorbidities that can limit life expectancy, impacting decision-making., Objective: To characterize patients younger than 65 years who received transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and compare their outcomes with patients aged 65 to 80 years., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective registry-based analysis used data on 139 695 patients from the Society for Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) Registry, inclusive of patients 80 years and younger undergoing TAVR from August 2019 to September 2023., Intervention: Balloon-expandable valve (BEV) TAVR with the SAPIEN family of devices., Main Outcomes and Measures: Comorbidities (heart failure, coronary artery disease, dialysis, and others) and outcomes (death, stroke, and hospital readmission) of patients younger than 65 years compared to patients aged 65 to 80 years., Results: In the years surveyed, 13 849 registry patients (5.7%) were younger than 65 years, 125 846 (52.1%) were aged 65 to 80 years, and 101 725 (42.1%) were 80 years and older. Among those younger than 65, the mean (SD) age was 59.7 (4.8) years, and 9068 of 13 849 patients (65.5%) were male. Among those aged 65 to 80 years, the mean (SD) age was 74.1 (4.2) years, and 77 817 of 125 843 patients (61.8%) were male. Those younger than 65 years were more likely to have a bicuspid aortic valve than those aged 65 to 80 years (3472/13 755 [25.2%] vs 9552/125 001 [7.6%], respectively; P < .001). They were more likely to have congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, immunocompromise, and end stage kidney disease receiving dialysis. Patients younger than 65 years had worse baseline quality of life (mean [SD] Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score, 47.7 [26.3] vs 52.9 [25.8], respectively; P < .001) and mean (SD) gait speed (5-meter walk test, 6.6 [5.8] seconds vs 7.0 [4.9] seconds, respectively; P < .001) than those aged 65 to 80 years. At 1 year, patients younger than 65 years had significantly higher readmission rates (2740 [28.2%] vs 23 178 [26.1%]; P < .001) and all-cause mortality (908 [9.9%] vs 6877 [8.2%]; P < .001) than older patients. When propensity matched, younger patients still had higher 1-year readmission rates (2732 [28.2%] vs 2589 [26.8%]; P < .03) with similar mortality to their older counterparts (905 [9.9%] vs 827 [10.1%]; P = .55)., Conclusions and Relevance: Among US patients receiving BEV TAVR for severe aortic stenosis in the low-surgical risk era, those younger than 65 years represent a small subset. Patients younger than 65 years had a high burden of comorbidities and incurred higher rates of death and readmission at 1 year compared to their older counterparts. These observations suggest that heart team decision-making regarding TAVR for most patients in this age group is clinically valid.

Background: The importance of transcatheter heart valve (THV) design on clinical outcome in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction remains unknown., Objectives: We aimed to compare 5-year outcomes of patients with severe AS and reduced LV ejection fraction (LVEF), undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with balloon-expandable vs. self-expanding THVs., Methods: In a retrospective analysis from the Bern TAVI registry, patients with LVEF <50% who underwent TAVI with either balloon-expandable or self-expanding THVs were included. A 1:1 propensity-score matching was performed to account for baseline differences between groups., Results: A total of 759 patients were included between August 2007 and December 2022, and propensity-score matching resulted in 134 pairs. Technical success was achieved in over 85% of patients, and was similar in both groups. Self-expanding THVs were associated with a lower mean transvalvular gradient (7.1 ± 3.7 mmHg vs. 9.9 ± 4.3 mmHg; P < .001) and a higher incidence of ≥mild-to-moderate paravalvular regurgitation (36.3% vs. 11.3%; P < .001) compared to balloon-expandable THVs. At 5 years, patients treated with a self-expanding THV had higher all-cause mortality than those with a balloon-expandable THV (67.8% vs. 55.8%, HR adjusted : 1.44; 95% CI: 1.02-2.03; P = .037). There were no significant differences in other clinical outcomes up to 5 years between groups., Conclusions: In the setting of LV systolic dysfunction, patients treated with a self-expanding THV had higher risk of 5-year mortality compared to patients treated with a balloon-expandable THV., Clinical Trial Registration: https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov. NCT01368250., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The frequent association between transthyretin wild-type (TTRwt) cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and aortic stenosis (AS) suggests a bidirectional relationship: TTRwt-CA could induce AS and vice versa. Systemic manifestations may highlight this interaction: systemic amyloidogenesis would lead to systemic symptoms, CA, and AS, whereas the myocardial stresses induced by degenerative AS might promote local amyloidogenesis without systemic symptoms. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most frequently reported extracardiac symptom. Through a comparison of TTRwt-CA patients with and without CTS, we sought to determine whether CTS serves as a reliable indicator of systemic involvement and its impact on cardiac and valvular characteristics., Methods and Results: A total of 411 consecutive patients with TTRwt-CA were included. CTS, present in 70.3%, was associated with a younger age (80 vs. 84 years, p < 0.001), more extracardiac symptoms, and advanced CA, with greater cardiac remodeling and a higher heart-to-mediastinum ratio (1.63 vs. 1.54; p = 0.012) compared to patients without CTS. AS was present in 21% and 31% of patients with and without CTS, respectively (p = 0.024). Except for AS, these associations remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors. In severe AS, patients with CTS exclusively exhibited low-flow low-gradient (LFLG) AS and less severe class of aortic valvular calcium score (5.6% vs. 60%; p = 0.006) compared to those without CTS., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that CTS may delineate two phenotypes in TTRwt-CA: a systemic phenotype associated with advanced CA and poorly calcified LFLG AS, and a cardiac phenotype characterized by less severe CA and a mixed pattern of highly calcified AS, suggesting disparate pathophysiologies., (© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Internal Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Publication of The Journal of Internal Medicine.)

Aims: The relative apical sparing pattern of left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain (RELAPS > 1) has been described as a typical sign of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). The objective was to validate this pattern in concomitant CA and aortic stenosis (AS) and to identify new echocardiographic variables suggestive of CA in the presence of AS., Methods and Results: Three hundred and twenty-four consecutive patients (age 81.5 ± 5.8 years, 51% women) with AS who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) were prospectively included. 2D speckle tracking echocardiography was performed. Following TAVI, 99mTc-DPD scintigraphy and protein electrophoresis were performed to screen for CA. Thirty-eight patients (11.7%) showed cardiac uptake in scintigraphy: 14 patients (4.3%) with Grade 1, 13 (4%) with Grade 2, and 11 (3.4%) with Grade 3. Patients with Grades 2 and 3 (AS-CA group) had more LV hypertrophy (LV mass index: 188 vs. 172 g/m2, P = 0.032), lower transvalvular aortic pressure gradient (P < 0.003), and higher prevalence of low-gradient AS (50% vs. 19%, P = 0.001), as well as greater diastolic and systolic dysfunction. Strain analysis was limited to 243 patients due to poor acoustic window and restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic (81 lost: 79 in AS alone, 1 each in AS-DPD1 and AS-CA groups). RELAPS > 1 was more prevalent in AS-CA group (74% vs. 44%, P = 0.006). An echocardiographic prediction model (GRAM score) for CA in the presence of AS, which is more sensitive and specific than RELAPS > 1 alone, is proposed using the LV mass, maximum aortic gradient, and RELAPS > 1, in addition to age (area under the curve: 0.85, 95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.93)., Conclusion: RELAPS > 1 is more prevalent in AS-CA but can occur in almost half of AS patients without CA, which reduces its value as a screening tool. A more sensitive and specific prediction score for CA in patients with severe AS is proposed., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: none declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: One third of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) have an indication for oral anticoagulation owing to concomitant diseases. Interruption of oral anticoagulation during TAVI may decrease the risk of bleeding, whereas continuation may decrease the risk of thromboembolism., Methods: We conducted an international, open-label, randomized, noninferiority trial involving patients who were receiving oral anticoagulants and were planning to undergo TAVI. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to periprocedural continuation or interruption of oral anticoagulation. The primary outcome was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, stroke from any cause, myocardial infarction, major vascular complications, or major bleeding within 30 days after TAVI., Results: A total of 858 patients were included in the modified intention-to-treat population: 431 were assigned to continuation and 427 to interruption of oral anticoagulation. A primary-outcome event occurred in 71 patients (16.5%) in the continuation group and in 63 (14.8%) in the interruption group (risk difference, 1.7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -3.1 to 6.6; P = 0.18 for noninferiority). Thromboembolic events occurred in 38 patients (8.8%) in the continuation group and in 35 (8.2%) in the interruption group (risk difference, 0.6 percentage points; 95% CI, -3.1 to 4.4). Bleeding occurred in 134 patients (31.1%) in the continuation group and in 91 (21.3%) in the interruption group (risk difference, 9.8 percentage points; 95% CI, 3.9 to 15.6)., Conclusions: In patients undergoing TAVI with a concomitant indication for oral anticoagulation, periprocedural continuation was not noninferior to interruption of oral anticoagulation during TAVI with respect to the incidence of a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, stroke, myocardial infarction, major vascular complications, or major bleeding at 30 days. (Funded by the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development and the St. Antonius Research Fund; POPular PAUSE TAVI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04437303.)., (Copyright © 2024 Massachusetts Medical Society.)

Background: Current guidelines recommend transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for patients with aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta (PA). Neurological outcomes of patients with PA undergoing TAVI with modern valves require clarification as most trials examined balloon-expandable valves (BEV) and self-expandable valves in intermediate or high-risk patients, but not specifically in patients with PA. Our aim was to compare outcomes, including stroke and mortality, in well-matched patients with and without PA who received BEV during transfemoral TAVI procedures., Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing TAVI were entered into a registry. For this single-centre (Zentralklinik Bad Berka, Germany), retrospective analysis, we only selected patients who received BEV. PA diagnosis was made when non-contrast axial CT images fulfilled Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria for PA. There was 2:1 nearest neighbour matching of patients without and with PA. The primary outcome measure was 30-day mortality or stroke within 72 hours. Secondary outcome measures were 30-day mortality, stroke within 72 hours, technical success and 30-day device success., Results: After matching patients with (n=141) and without PA (n=282), the primary outcome of mortality at <30 days or stroke within 72 hours was higher in PA versus non-PA (7.8% vs 2.5%; OR 3.32 (95% CI 1.25 to 8.85); p=0.019). With regard to secondary outcomes, PA was not associated with mortality at 30 days (4.3% vs 2.1%; OR 2.04 (95% CI 0.65 to 6.48); p=0.23); however, stroke within 72 hours was significantly higher in PA versus non-PA (3.5% vs 0.4%; OR 10.33 (95% CI 1.17 to 91.12); p=0.017). Technical and device success were uninfluenced by PA., Conclusions: Transfemoral TAVI with BEV in patients with PA was associated with a higher risk of the primary combined endpoint of mortality at 30 days or stroke within 72 hours, which was primarily driven by stroke within 72 hours. These findings might influence cerebral embolic protection device use in patients with PA., Competing Interests: Competing interests: PL received honoraria for lectures by Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Mitral and aortic annular calcification is an age-related degenerative process that can result in severe mitral and/or aortic stenosis and/or regurgitation. Annular calcification not only increases the surgical complexity but also increases the risk of complications. In this case report, we present the innovative use of the Sonopet ultrasonic surgical aspirator for aortic and mitral annular decalcification in a patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, mild aortic stenosis and moderate mitral regurgitation in the presence of mitral annular calcification (MAC) and aorto-mitral curtain calcification., Competing Interests: Declarations. Disclosure: The authors have nothing to disclose regarding commercial support. Permission: The patient signed a written informed consent regarding publication of this material inclining video and images. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The coexistence of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) and aortic stenosis (AS) is increasingly recognized, but the clinical consequences are unclear. We aimed to characterize clinical outcomes in AS plus ATTR-CA compared with only AS or ATTR-CA., Methods and Results: In a retrospective cohort study, patients with AS only, ATTR-CA only, or AS plus ATTR-CA were identified using all-payer claims data (2015-2021). Eligible patients had ≥1 claim for AS or cardiac amyloidosis (excluding light-chain cardiac amyloidosis); were aged ≥60 years; and were continuously enrolled in medical plans for ≥6 months after diagnosis. Ad hoc subanalyses were conducted in patients with aortic valve replacement at first diagnosis (surrogate for severe AS). Of 355 430 eligible patients, 345 771 (97.3%), 8453 (2.4%), and 1239 (0.3%) were included in the AS-only, ATTR-CA-only, and AS-plus-ATTR-CA cohorts, respectively; 41 312 (11.9%), 14 (0.2%), and 212 (17.1%) had aortic valve replacement. Two-year mortality rates were 16.1% (95% CI, 15.9-16.2), 14.8% (95% CI, 13.9-15.7), and 19.2% (95% CI, 16.9-21.8) in the AS-only, ATTR-CA-only, and AS-plus-ATTR-CA cohorts; heart failure hospitalization rates were 29.4% (95% CI, 29.2-29.5), 22.8% (95% CI, 21.9-23.8), and 48.7% (95% CI, 45.7-51.7). AS plus ATTR-CA was associated with increased risk of death (HR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.1-1.4]; P <0.0001) and heart-failure hospitalization (HR, 1.9 [95% CI, 1.8-2.1]; P <0.0001) versus AS alone. In the aortic valve replacement subgroup, AS plus ATTR-CA was associated with an increased mortality rate (HR, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1-1.8]; P =0.003) but not heart failure hospitalization (HR, 1.1 [95% CI, 0.9-1.3]; P =0.07) versus AS only., Conclusions: Patients with AS plus ATTR-CA experience worse clinical outcomes than patients with AS only. Increased awareness of these coexisting conditions may help facilitate earlier screening and improve prognosis.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) induced by severe aortic stenosis (AS) is a life-threatening condition with high mortality. Despite advancements in emergency interventions, the optimal treatment approach remains uncertain., Aim: This study aimed to systematically review and analyse the existing evidence on outcomes of emergency transcatheter aortic valve implantation (eTAVI) and emergency balloon aortic valvuloplasty (eBAV) in CS patients., Methods: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was performed. The primary endpoint was mortality at 30 days. Secondary endpoints were in-hospital mortality, 1-year mortality, bleeding, major vascular complications, myocardial infarction, stroke, incidence of pacemaker implantation, acute kidney injury and aortic regurgitation., Results: Seventeen studies were included, totalling 2811 patients. The analysis revealed a 30-day mortality pooled estimated rate for eTAVI of 19% (CI 0.17 - 0.20) and for eBAV 39% (CI 0.32 - 0.46). In-hospital mortality pooled estimated rates were 11% for eTAVI (CI 0.06 - 0.18) and for eBAV 40% (CI 0.28 - 0.54). One-year mortality pooled estimated rates for eTAVI were 29% (CI 0.20 - 0.40) and for eBAV 67% (CI 0.58 - 0.74). Pooled estimated rates of any bleeding were 12% for eTAVI (CI 0.06 - 0.20) and 15% for eBAV (CI 0.10 - 0.21). The rate of major vascular complications for eTAVI was 8% (CI 0.07 - 0.10) and 3% for eBAV (CI 0.0 - 0.23)., Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates that mortality in CS due to AS remains high despite emergency interventional treatment. These findings offer critical insights for clinical decision-making optimising patient care in this critically ill population., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Symptoms of anxiety and/or depression (SAD) commonly co-exist in severe aortic stenosis. In patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), these symptoms are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Despite this, mental health remains under-researched in the TAVI literature. Drawing from the largest registry in Australia, we aimed to characterize the prevalence of SAD in TAVI patients. We also aimed to identify patient phenotypes at the highest risk of these symptoms, examine how they evolve after TAVI, and establish factors predictive of improvement and regression in mental health. A total of 1,279 patients who underwent TAVI between 2018 and 2023 included in a multi-center Australian registry were analyzed. The median age was 82 years (interquartile range 77 to 87), 41% were females, and the median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 3.9 (2.3 to 5.9). In addition, 353 patients (28%) reported moderate or worse SAD at baseline. Of this group, 260 (74%) had complete resolution in symptoms within 30 days. Body mass index <25 kg/m 2 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.4, p <0.001), vascular site complications (aOR 3.4, p = 0.029), and nonhome discharge (aOR 2.4, p = 0.036) independently predicted the persistence of SAD. Only 72 patients (8%) developed new-onset SAD at 30 days after TAVI. Nonhome discharge (aOR 2.12, p = 0.025) and a composite cardiovascular end point, including stroke, acute myocardial infarction, and heart failure readmission (aOR 2.55, p = 0.028), were independent predictors of new-onset SAD. In conclusion, SAD are common but under-recognized in aortic stenosis. TAVI is highly effective at improving these symptoms, and regular screening for mental health should be considered in the management of all TAVI patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Professor Stub is on the medical advisory boards of Edwards, Medtronic, and Anteris. Associate Professor Walton is on the medical advisory boards of Medtronic, Abbott, and Edwards. These disclosures had no influence on the manuscript. The remaining authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Aortic valve calcification (AVC) has been shown to be a powerful assessment of aortic stenosis (AS) severity and a predictor of adverse outcomes. However, its accuracy in patients with low-flow AS has not yet been proven. The objective of the study was to assess the predictive value of AVC in patients with classical low-flow (CLF, that is, low-flow reduced left ventricular ejection fraction) or paradoxical low-flow (PLF, that is, low-flow preserved left ventricular ejection fraction) AS., Methods: We prospectively included 641 patients, 319 (49.8%) with CLF-AS and 322 (50.2%) with PLF-AS, who underwent Doppler echocardiography and multidetector computed tomography. AVC ratio (AVCratio) was calculated as AVC divided by the sex-specific AVC threshold for AS severity; AVC score ≥2000 Agatston units in male patients and ≥1200 Agatston units in female patients. The primary end point of the study was all-cause mortality regardless of treatment., Results: Sex-specific AVC thresholds identified AS severity correctly in 137 (87%) of the patients. During a median follow-up of 4.9 (4.3-5.9) years, there were 265 deaths. After comprehensive adjustment, AVCratio was associated with all-cause mortality in patients with CLF-AS (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.01-1.56]; P =0.046) and PLF-AS (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.14-2.00]; P =0.004). There was an interaction ( P =0.001) between AVC and AS flow patterns (ie, CLF versus PLF) with regard to the prediction of mortality. The best AVCratio threshold to predict mortality was different in patients with CLF-AS (AVCratio ≥0.7) and PLF-AS (AVCratio ≥1). After a comprehensive analysis, AVCratio as a dichotomic variable was associated with all-cause mortality in all groups ( P ≤0.001). The addition of AVCratio to the models improved all models' predictive value (all net reclassification index >18%; all P ≤0.05)., Conclusions: In patients with CLF-AS or PLF-AS, AVC is a major predictor of mortality. Thus, AVC should be used in low-flow patients to assess AS severity and stratify risk. Importantly, in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, a nonsevere AS (ie, AVC 70% of severe) could be associated with reduced survival., Competing Interests: Dr Clavel received funding from Edwards Lifesciences for CT core laboratory analyses and a research grant from Medtronic, Edwards Lifesciences, and Pi-Cardia with no direct personal compensation. Dr Pibarot received funding from Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic for echocardiography core laboratory analyses with no direct personal compensation. The other authors report no conflicts.

Background: The application of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been developed on different populations in many clinical studies. However, research dedicated to the application of emergency TAVR in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) experiencing cardiogenic shock is limited., Objective: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of emergency TAVR in AS patients with circulatory collapse., Methods: Studies on the application of emergency TAVR in AS patients with cardiogenic shock were screened from PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases. Two researchers independently screened the literature-extracted data and conducted a meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 16.0 software., Results: 17 studies comprising 36,886 patients undergoing emergency TAVR and 8,530 patients undergoing emergency SAVR or BAV. Emergency TAVR showed no difference in valve implantation success rate compared to elective TAVR. At 30-day endpoints comparison, emergency TAVR exhibited significantly higher all-cause mortality and readmission rates than elective TAVR (RR=2.73 95 %CI 2.04-3.65, P < 0.01; RR=1.2 95 %CI 0.9-1.6, P < 0.01), but reduced mortality risk compared to emergency SAVR/BAV (RD=-0.15 95 %CI -0.25 to -0.04, P = 0.005). At one year post-operation, people with emergency TAVR continued to have higher all-cause mortality than elective TAVR (RR=1.55 95 %CI 1.37-1.74, P < 0.01) but similar with emergency SAVR/BAV (RD=-0.04 95 %CI -0.33 to 0.25, P = 0.796). Rates of severe bleeding and new-onset renal dialysis were higher after emergency TAVR, compared to elective TAVR, while the incidences of permanent pacemaker implantation, severe paravalvular leakage and stroke were similar., Conclusion: Despite emergency TAVR having higher readmission and mortality rates compared to elective TAVR, it is a relatively safe and effective treatment in cases of cardiogenic shock compared to emergency BAV/SAVR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a viable alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for high-risk patients with aortic stenosis. One such high-risk group is patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), which is known to increase surgical risk and adversely affect outcomes. This study aims to compare midterm and long-term survival in TAVR and SAVR among patients with PH., Methods: A retrospective review of patients with PH undergoing an aortic valve replacement was conducted at a single institution. From May 2012 to June 2020, 427 patients with PH underwent a primary isolated TAVR (n = 249) or SAVR (n = 178). PH was assessed using an estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure ≥40 mmHg. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for confounders., Results: Before matching, Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was significantly lower for TAVR compared to SAVR (P < 0.01). After matching, 87 well-balanced pairs remained. Post propensity score matching, Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was still significantly lower for the TAVR group as compared to the SAVR group (P = 0.045)., Conclusions: These data support the feasibility and safety of SAVR in selected patients with PH, and the presence of PH should not preclude consideration of SAVR in appropriate surgical candidates. Further multicenter research is needed to explore confounders and deepen our understanding of the long-term outcomes in this high-risk population., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a rare complication of infective endocarditis (IE) and is associated with high mortality. Typically, coronary artery occlusion is a complication of bacterial autologous valve IE. We present the case of a 74-year-old woman with a history of aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis who was receiving immunosuppressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Upon admission, she was diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and coronary angiography (CAG) revealed complete occlusion in the terminal branches of the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX #12 and #14). On day 3 of admission, three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) was performed, and vegetation was detected, leading to IE diagnosis.The patient underwent prosthetic valve replacement on day 4. Subsequent blood cultures grew Candida albicans, and histopathological examination using Grocott staining confirmed the presence of Grocott-positive fungi within the vegetation, leading to a definitive diagnosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) caused by Candida albicans; this management resulted in favorable outcomes. The present case suggests that fungal PVE can also complicate STEMI, and real-time 3D-TEE was instrumental in diagnosing and accurately assessing the vegetation in this condition.

Introduction: High-molecular-weight (HMW) von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimer deficiency occurs in classical low-flow, low-gradient (LF/LG) aortic stenosis (AS) due to shear force-induced proteolysis. The prognostic value of HMW VWF multimer deficiency is unknown. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the impact of HMW VWF multimer deficiency on clinical outcome., Methods: In this prospective research study, a total of 83 patients with classical LF/LG AS were included. All patients underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography to distinguish true-severe (TS) from pseudo-severe (PS) classical LF/LG AS. HMW VWF multimer ratio was calculated using densitometric Western blot band quantification. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality., Results: Mean age was 79 ± 9 years, and TS classical LF/LG AS was diagnosed in 73% (n = 61) and PS classical LF/LG AS in 27% (n = 22) of all patients. Forty-six patients underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) and 37 were treated conservatively. During a mean follow-up of 27 ± 17 months, 47 deaths occurred. Major bleeding complications after AVR (10/46; 22%) were more common in patients with HMW VWF multimer ratio <1 (8/17; 47%) in comparison to patients with a normal multimer pattern (2/29; 7%) at baseline (p = 0.003). In a multivariable Cox regression analysis, HMW VWF multimer deficiency was a predictor of all-cause mortality (HR: 3.02 [95% CI: 1.31-6.96], p = 0.009) in the entire cohort. This association was driven by higher mortality rates in the AVR group (multivariable-adjusted HR: 9.4; 95% CI 2.0-43.4, p = 0.004)., Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate the predictive value of HMW VWF multimer ratio for risk stratification in patients with classical LF/LG AS. HMW VWF multimer deficiency was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and major bleeding complications after AVR., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Concomitant cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and aortic stenosis (AS) may be mistaken for isolated AS, potentially impacting the treatment strategy and patient's prognosis. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish between these conditions, as failure to promptly diagnose CA may lead to considerable complications. The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic value of strain predictors in patients with concomitant CA and AS compared to isolated AS., Methods: Forty-two patients with severe AS suspected of concomitant CA based on a comprehensive clinical evaluation were selected to undergo 99 mTc-DPD scintigraphy. Those showing Perugini grade 2 or 3 tracer uptakes without evidence of monoclonal gammopathy were diagnosed with CA and underwent speckle-tracking echocardiography. Furthermore, strain analysis was performed to evaluate myocardial deformation, with a focus on detecting apical sparing and reduction in bull's eye mapping, resulting in the characteristic "cherry on top" sign., Results: Eight patients were diagnosed with CA, representing 19.0% of those suspected of concomitant CA and 7.8% of the overall cohort with severe AS. AF arrhythmia was significantly more frequent in these patients compared to those with isolated AS. Echocardiography findings revealed that E/E' ratio and RALS were significantly higher in patients with concomitant CA, while GLS and mean basal LS were significantly lower in this group. The "cherry on top" sign was detected in 19 patients (45.2%), present in 100% of those with concomitant CA and AS, versus 32.4% in isolated AS cases (P = 0.04). This sign demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 67.6% for predicting concomitant CA and AS., Conclusions: In conclusion, the "cherry on top" sign was significantly more prevalent in patients with concomitant CA and AS, compared to those with isolated AS, demonstrating a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 67.6% for predicting concomitant CA. Moreover, RALS and E/E' ratios were significantly higher in patients with concomitant CA, whereas GLS and mean basal LS were significantly lower in this group., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was performed according to the principles outlined by the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki on experimentation involving human subjects, as revised in 2000, and has been approved by the ethics committee of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences with the approval number IR.TBZMED.REC.1400.853 on 29/11/2021. All patients signed and accepted informed consent papers; their participation in this study and the data they provided are completely confidential. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background : Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common condition observed in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for the treatment of aortic stenosis (AS). However, the impact of TAVI on MR outcomes and the factors predicting MR improvement remains uncertain. Understanding these predictors can enhance patient management and guide clinical decisions. Methods : This retrospective cohort study included 156 patients with moderate to severe MR undergoing TAVI. MR severity was assessed via echocardiography at baseline, as well as 6 months and 1 year after TAVI. Patients were divided into groups based on MR reduction: no improvement or worsening, one-degree improvement, and at least two-degree improvement. Clinical, echocardiographic, and procedural characteristics were evaluated as predictive factors for MR improvement after TAVI. Results : MR reduction occurred in 68% of patients at 6 months and 81% at 1 year. Factors predicting a reduction of two grades or more in MR severity included lower baseline LVEDD (OR = 1.345, 95% CI: 1.112-1.628, p = 0.002) lower baseline LA (OR = 1.121, 95% CI: 1.015-1.237, p = 0.024), lower baseline LVMI (OR = 1.109, 95% CI: 1.020-1.207, p = 0.024), and higher baseline EF levels (OR = 1.701, 95% CI: 1.007-2.871, p = 0.047). No significant association was found between MR reduction at 6 months and one-year mortality. ( p = 0.65). Conclusions : Baseline echocardiographic parameters are valuable in predicting MR improvement post-TAVI, with LVMI emerging as a novel predictor. However, MR reduction did not independently predict survival, underscoring the need for further research to optimize patient selection and management strategies in TAVI candidates.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a recognized risk factor for mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis, but the impact of different types of AF on clinical outcomes remains unclear., Methods: This retrospective study included 982 patients divided into 3 groups: no AF, paroxysmal AF, and nonparoxysmal AF (persistent or permanent). Clinical outcomes were analyzed using inverse probability weighting and multivariate models., Results: There were 610, 211, and 161 patients in the no-AF, paroxysmal AF, and nonparoxysmal AF groups, respectively. For the entire cohort, the mean (SD) age was 82 (7.7) years, and the periprocedural, 1-year, and 5-year mortality rates were 2.0%, 12%, and 50%, respectively. After inverse probability weighting, the periprocedural mortality rate was higher in the nonparoxysmal AF group than in the no-AF group (odds ratio, 4.71 [95% CI, 1.24-17.9]). During 5 years of follow-up (median [IQR], 22 [0-69] months), all-cause mortality was higher in the nonparoxysmal AF group than in the no-AF group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.56 [95% CI, 1.14-2.14]; P = .006). The paroxysmal AF group was not associated with worse clinical outcomes than the no-AF group (HR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.81-1.49]) for all-cause mortality. Stroke rates were comparable among the 3 groups. Multivariate analysis also showed increased all-cause mortality in the nonparoxysmal AF group compared with the no-AF group (adjusted HR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.06-1.93]; P = .018), while all-cause mortality was comparable between the paroxysmal AF and no-AF groups (adjusted HR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.75-1.33])., Conclusion: In patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis, having nonparoxysmal AF was associated with a higher risk of periprocedural and all-cause mortality compared with having no AF. Paroxysmal AF showed no such association., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Basel Ramlawi is a consultant for AtriCure, Boston Scientific, CORCYM, Medtronic, and Shockwave Medical. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by The Texas Heart Institute®.)

Introduction: Severe aortic stenosis with coexisting mitral regurgitation (MR) of various severity is a common finding. The goal of our study was to evaluate the relation between transcatheter transfemoral aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on coexisting MR and compare the outcome in MR improvement and nonimprovement groups., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 252 patients who underwent TAVI with associated at least moderate MR between January 2018 and December 2020. Effect of changes in MR grade at discharge and 6-12 mo follow-up were compared., Results: Echocardiography was performed at discharge in 245 patients and at follow-up in 154 patients. MR improvement was seen in 60.8% patients and nonimprovement in 39.2%. Overall survival was significantly higher in the MR improvement group (P = 0.020). There was a statistically significant effect on MR grade with a significant increase in the proportion of patients with mild MR at follow-up compared to discharge (58.4% versus 38.3%, P < 0.001). A similar positive effect was seen on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at follow-up compared to discharge (P < 0.001). LVEF in the MR improvement group was significantly higher at follow-up versus discharge (P < 0.001), but there was no statistically significant change in LVEF in the nonimprovement group at follow-up versus discharge (P < 0.722)., Conclusions: TAVI in severe aortic stenosis with coexisting significant mitral valve regurgitation decreases MR severity in more than 60% of patients and improved LVEF as well as mortality., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Source Citation: Lønborg J, Jabbari R, Sabbah M, et al; NOTION-3 Study Group. PCI in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic-valve implantation. N Engl J Med. 2024 Aug 31. [Epub ahead of print.] 39216095., Competing Interests: Disclosures: Disclosure form is available with the article online.

Aims: Mitral stenosis (MS) occasionally coexists with aortic stenosis (AS). Limited data are available regarding the functional class and clinical outcomes of patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for combined AS and MS. This study compared the clinical outcomes in patients with and without MS who underwent TAVI for severe AS and assessed the impact of mitral annulus calcification (MAC) severity, transmitral gradient (TMG) and mitral valve area (MVA) on outcomes in patients with combined AS and MS., Methods: We investigated patients in the OCEAN-TAVI registry who underwent TAVI. MS was defined as an MVA ≤ 1.5 cm 2 or TMG ≥ 5 mmHg. The composite of all-cause death and admission for heart failure was compared between patients with and without MS. The impact of MAC, TMG and MVA on outcomes was assessed in patients with combined AS and MS., Results: We identified 106 patients with MS (MAC 84%; TMG 6.4 ± 2.6 mmHg; MVA 1.10 ± 0.31 cm 2 ) and 6570 without MS as controls. The MS group was older (85 ± 5 vs. 84 ± 5 years, P = 0.033), more of women (85 vs. 67%, P < 0.01), and had a higher risk of surgery (the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Mortality Score 8.7 ± 5.1 vs. 7.6 ± 5.9, P = 0.047) than the controls. In the MS group, the New York Heart Association Functional Class was 3 or 4 in 56% of the patients at baseline and 6% at 1 year after TAVI. Thirty-day mortality (2.8% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.18) and early composite outcomes (17% vs. 15%, P = 0.56) were comparable between patients with and without MS. During a median follow-up of 2.1 years, the presence of MS was associated with a higher incidence of adverse events compared with controls (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-2.51, P < 0.01), even on propensity score matched analysis (adjusted HR 1.91; 95% CI 1.14-3.22, P < 0.01). Moderate or severe MAC contributed to increased risk of adverse events in patients with MS (adjusted HR 2.89; 95% CI 1.20-6.99, P = 0.018), but TMG and MVA did not., Conclusions: In patients undergoing TAVI for severe AS, those with moderate or severe MS experienced worse outcomes after TAVI compared with those without MS. Patients with combined AS and MS sustained symptom improvement at 1-year post-TAVI. MAC severity was a useful predictor of adverse events compared with MS haemodynamics such as TMG and MVA in patients with combined AS and MS., (© 2024 The Author(s). ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Purpose: The prognostic significance of noninvasive myocardial work (MW) indices in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has not been adequately examined., Methods: We retrospectively selected 88 consecutive patients (mean age 79.9 ± 6.4 years, 40% males) with severe aortic stenosis scheduled for TAVI enrolled in the EffecTAVI registry. Exclusion criteria were prior valve surgery, atrial fibrillation, and left bundle branch block (LBBB) at baseline. Global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE) were measured by echocardiography at baseline and at 30 days. Accuracy of the noninvasive measures was assessed by invasive evaluation of MW., Results: In the overall population, a significant reduction in GWI (2406 ± 567 vs. 2063 ± 515 mmHg% before and after TAVI respectively, P  < 0.001), GCW (2783 ± 616 vs. 2380 ± 495 mmHg%, P  < 0.001) and GWW (238 ± 203 vs. 186 ± 135 mmHg%, P  = 0.015) was observed at 30 days after TAVI. GWE improved only in patients who did not develop left ventricular dyssynchrony due to new-onset LBBB or pacemaker implantation following TAVI. In a multivariable Cox-regression analysis, GWE after TAVI (hazard ratio 0.892, 95% confidence interval 0.81-0.97; P  = 0.011) was the strongest predictor of adverse events (a composite of all-cause death, worsening of dyspnea, or rehospitalization for cardiovascular events) at 1-year follow-up., Conclusions: TAVI results in significant changes in MW indices, including an early decrease in GWI, GCW and GWW, and an improvement in GWE in patients without left ventricle dyssynchrony. A GWE equal or less than 92% at 30 days is indicative of poor clinical outcomes at 1 year., (Copyright © 2024 Italian Federation of Cardiology - I.F.C. All rights reserved.)

Background: In aortic stenosis, the myocardium responds with left ventricular hypertrophy, which is characterized by increased left ventricular mass due to cellular hypertrophy and extracellular matrix expansion. Following aortic valve replacement (AVR), left ventricular hypertrophy regression occurs, but early cellular and extracellular dynamics are unknown., Methods: Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis undergoing surgical or transcatheter AVR were prospectively recruited. Pre- and early post-AVR cardiac magnetic resonance imaging assessed left ventricular remodeling, global longitudinal strain, and T1 mapping to determine extracellular volume fraction and volume of cellular and extracellular compartments., Results: In all, 39 patients (aged 71.4±9.8 years, male 79%, aortic valve peak velocity 4.4±0.5 m/s) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance before and at median 7.7 weeks post-AVR. Left ventricular mass index reduced significantly by 15.4% ( P <0.001*), primarily driven by cellular compartment regression (18.7%, P <0.001*), with a smaller reduction in the extracellular compartment (7.2%, P <0.001*). This unbalanced regression led to an apparent increase in extracellular volume fraction (27.4±3.1% to 30.2±2.8%; P <0.001*). Although there was no significant change in global longitudinal strain post-AVR, an increase in extracellular volume fraction was associated with worsening of global longitudinal strain (Pearson r=0.41, P =0.01). Mode of intervention (transcatheter versus surgical) did not influence the above myocardial parameters post-AVR (all P >0.05). The asterisk in P values indicates a statistical significance of <0.05., Conclusions: Within 8 weeks of AVR for aortic stenosis, substantial left ventricular hypertrophy regression occurs involving both cellular and extracellular compartments, demonstrating the early myocardial adaptability to afterload relief. Cellular compartment regression is greater than extracellular regression, leading to an apparent increase in extracellular volume fraction. Mode of intervention did not affect degree of reverse remodeling, indicating that both are effective at resulting beneficial changes post-AVR., Registration: URL: https://www.isrctn.com; Unique identifier: NCT04627987., Competing Interests: None.

Background: Muscle ultrasound is increasingly popular thanks to its advantages over other techniques. However, its usefulness in the diagnosis of sarcopenia in older adults with aortic stenosis (AS) has not been studied to date., Objectives: to analyze the prevalence of sarcopenia using muscle ultrasound and its impact on the health outcomes in older patients with AS., Methods: The single-center FRESAS (FRailty-Evaluation-in-Severe-Aortic-Stenosis) registry was used to study patients over 75 years with severe AS susceptible to valve replacement. Sarcopenia was suspected in those individuals with diminished grip strength, and the diagnosis was confirmed in the presence of reduced ultrasound quadriceps muscle thickness, following the recommendations of the EWGSOP2 (European-Working-Group-on-Sarcopenia-in-Older-People). The primary composite endpoint was urgent hospital admission and mortality of cardiac cause 6 months after the diagnosis., Results: Of the 150 patients studied, 55.3% were females, and only 17.3% were frail; the mean age was 83.4 years. Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 42 patients (28%). The overall survival rate at 6 months was 92%. The primary endpoint was recorded in 23.2% of the cases and was more frequent in the sarcopenic patients (33.3%) than in the non-sarcopenic individuals (17.6%) (p = 0.01). The regression analysis found that sarcopenia was associated with an increased risk of the primary endpoint (HR: 2.25; 95% CI 1.19-4.45; p = 0.02), adjusting for potential confounding factors., Conclusions: The incidence of serious cardiac complications in older patients with sarcopenia and severe AS is significant. The present study describes a noninvasive, ultrasound-guided diagnostic technique that may prove efficient in its predictive capacity., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Geriatric Medicine Society.)

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common comorbidity in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) who are candidates for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Herein, we sought to elucidate the prognostic value of preprocedural PH on the early and late mortality after TAVI. The Cochrane Library, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and ProQuest were screened using a predefined search query. We considered odds ratios (ORs) as the measure of effect. Meta-regression analysis was applied to investigate the potential impact of baseline characteristics on the outcomes. Egger's and Begg's tests were used to assess the publication bias. Thirty-three studies comprising 34 datasets representing 68,435 patients were included in the analysis. Regardless of the definition and severity of PH, pooled data analysis indicated that preprocedural PH was associated with higher cardiac and overall 30-day [OR, 1.45 (1.15-1.82) and OR, 1.75 (1.42-2.17), respectively], and 1-year mortality [OR, 1.63 (1.35-1.96) and OR, 1.59 (1.38-1.82), respectively]. Meta-regression analysis demonstrated that older age, higher New York Heart Association function class, history of hypertension, diabetes, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction were predictors of higher mortality rate following TAVI. Moreover, we found that preprocedural PH is significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality and 30-day acute kidney injury. Our results demonstrated that preprocedural PH is associated with higher early and late cardiac and overall mortality following TAVI; however, this finding is limited regarding the considerable inconsistency in the definition of PH and PH severity among studies., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Data on concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) are scarce., Methods and results: We investigated the risk of concomitant MR in patients with severe AS in the CURRENT AS Registry-2 according to initial treatment strategy (transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI], surgical aortic valve replacement [SAVR], or conservative). Among 3,365 patients with severe AS, 384 (11.4%) had moderate/severe MR (TAVI: n=126/1,148; SAVR: n=68/591; conservative: n=190/1,626). The cumulative 3-year incidence for death or heart failure (HF) hospitalization was significantly higher in the moderate/severe than no/mild MR group in the entire population (54.6% vs. 34.3%, respectively; P<0.001) and for each treatment strategy (TAVI: 45.0% vs. 31.8% [P=0.006]; SAVR: 31.9% vs. 18.7% [P<0.001]; conservative: 67.8% vs. 41.6% [P<0.001]). The higher adjusted risk of moderate/severe MR relative to no/mild MR for death or HF hospitalization was not significant in the entire population (hazard ratio [HR] 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95-1.39; P=0.15); however, the risk was significant in the SAVR (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.04-3.56; P=0.04) and conservative (HR 1.30; 95% CI 1.02-1.67; P=0.04) groups, but not in the TAVI group (HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.70-1.52; P=0.86), despite no significant interaction (P interaction =0.37)., Conclusions: Moderate/severe MR was associated with a higher risk for death or HF hospitalization in the initial SAVR and conservative strategies, while the association was less pronounced in the initial TAVI strategy.

Objectives: Due to prognostic uncertainty and limited decision-making capacity, the choice to perform transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and comorbid dementia is challenging. This study explores older adults' perspectives on complex decision-making preceding TAVI in the hypothetical setting of comorbid dementia., Design: Qualitative study entailing semistructured interviews. Analysis was by systematic text condensation. The interview guide addressed their attitudes regarding treatment dilemmas before TAVI in patients living with dementia., Setting: Patients were recruited from the TAVI outpatient clinic at a university hospital performing TAVI., Participants: A purposive sample of 10 older adults (5 women) with AS and without dementia (range 77-94 years), where 8/10 had undergone TAVI were included., Results: Three main challenges were identified: (1) Risk assessment. Participants found it hard to compare the burden of aortic stenosis vs dementia. They acknowledged the dilemma of implanting a new heart valve to achieve symptom relief while risking severe dementia in the future due to prolonged life span. (2) Autonomous capacity. A profound uncertainty was described regarding who should participate in decision-making if the person was incapacitated due to dementia. (3) Customised information. Participants advocated for thorough information describing facts and uncertainty, aiming to protect and support the person living with dementia., Conclusion: Older adults with severe aortic stenosis find it hard relating to dilemmas arising from providing TAVI in patients living with dementia. There is a need for tailor-made information to support autonomy and decision-making under uncertainty., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Whether the presence of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction may influence the clinical outcome of patients with low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis (LFLG-AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has not yet been established., Methods and Results: This study included consecutive patients with LFLG-AS undergoing TAVR at 2 high-volume Italian centers. RV dysfunction before TAVR procedure was defined as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion assessed by transthoracic echocardiography lower than <17 mm. The primary outcome was all-cause death at 1 year. The propensity score weighting technique was implemented to account for potential selection bias between patients with and without RV dysfunction. A prespecified subgroup analysis was conducted to evaluate the consistency of the results in patients with classical and paradoxical LFLG-AS forms. This study included 392 patients; of them, 97 (24.7%) patients showed RV dysfunction before TAVR. At propensity score-weighted adjusted Cox regression analysis, RV dysfunction, according to dichotomous definition, was associated with an increased risk for the primary outcome (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 3.11 [95% CI, 1.58-6.13]), cardiovascular death (adjusted HR, 3.26 [95% CI, 1.58-6.72]), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (adjusted HR, 3.39 [95% CI, 1.76-6.53]). Conversely, no difference was detected for the risk of stroke and of permanent pacemaker implantation. No significant interaction of the classical and paradoxical LFLG-AS subgroups was detected for all the outcomes of interest., Conclusions: This study suggests that RV dysfunction echocardiographically assessed by tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion may improve the prognostic stratification of patients with LFLG-AS undergoing TAVR.

Background: Currently, there is a lack of evidence for the long-term bioprosthetic valve durability of patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)., Methods and Results: This study aimed to evaluate hemodynamic outcome, structural valve deterioration, and bioprosthetic valve failure during long-term follow-up after TAVR in patients with BAV versus patients with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). Patients with BAV and TAV who underwent TAVR between 2012 and 2020, with echocardiography followed for at least 3 years, were included. Baseline characteristics, long-term valve hemodynamic performance, structural valve deterioration, and bioprosthetic valve failure were compared between patients with BAV and TAV. A total of 170 patients with BAV and 145 patients with TAV were included. The mean duration of follow-up for patients with BAV and TAV was 5.2±1.8 and 5.0±1.7 years. No significant differences were observed in the rates of structural valve deterioration and bioprosthetic valve failure between patients with BAV and TAV: structural valve deterioration, BAV 20 (11.8%) versus TAV 16 (11.0%) at last follow-up ( P =0.861); bioprosthetic valve failure, BAV 3 (1.8%) versus TAV 7 (4.8%) at last follow-up ( P =0.196). More than moderate intravalvular aortic regurgitation (1.8% versus 4.8%, P =0.196) and paravalvular leak (6.5% versus 3.4%, P =0.305) were rare in both patients with BAV and patients with TAV., Conclusions: This study indicated satisfactory long-term valve durability of TAVR in patients with BAV. Comparable hemodynamic outcome, structural valve deterioration, and bioprosthetic valve failure could be achieved in patients with BAV and TAV during long-term follow-up after TAVR.

Aims: Paradoxical low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis (pLFLG AS) may represent a diagnostic challenge, and its pathophysiology is complex. While left ventricular (LV) systolic function is preserved, right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) and consecutive LV underfilling may contribute to low-flow and reduced stroke volume index, and to adverse outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of RVD in pLFLG AS, and to assess the impact of pre-procedural RVD on clinical outcomes after TAVI in patients with pLFLG AS., Methods and Results: Out of 2739 native AS patients, who received TAVI at the University of Cologne Heart Center between March 2013 and June 2021, 114 patients displayed pLFLG AS and were included in this study. Right ventricular (RV) function was assessed by transthoracic echocardiography, and a fractional area change (FAC) ≤35% and/or a tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) <18 mm determined RVD. In addition, the TAPSE/systolic pulmonary artery pressure ratio (TAPSE/sPAP) was monitored as a measure of RV-pulmonary arterial (PA) coupling. An impaired FAC and TAPSE was present in 21.9% and 45.6% of patients, respectively, identifying RVD in 50.0%. RVD (p = 0.016), reduced FAC (p = 0.049), reduced TAPSE (p = 0.035) and impaired RV-PA coupling (TAPSE/sPAP ratio <0.31 mm/mmHg; p = 0.009) were associated with significantly higher all-cause mortality compared to patients with normal RV function. After adjustment for sex, age, body mass index, EuroSCORE II, previous myocardial infarction and mitral regurgitation, independent predictors for all-cause mortality were FAC, sPAP, TAPSE/sPAP ratio, right atrial area, RV diameter and tricuspid regurgitation., Conclusions: Adverse RV remodelling, RVD and impaired RV-PA coupling provide an explanation for low-flow and reduced stroke volume index in a subset of patients with pLFLG AS, and are associated with excess mortality after TAVI., (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Introduction: Management of aortic stenosis (AS) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may often be overlooked, and this could confer poorer outcomes., Methods: Consecutive patients ( n = 727) with index echocardiographic diagnosis of moderate to severe AS (aortic valve area <1.5 cm 2 ) were examined. They were divided into those with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min) and those without. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic parameters were compared, and a multivariate Cox regression model was constructed. Clinical outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves., Results: There were 270 (37.1%) patients with concomitant CKD. The CKD group was older (78.0 ± 10.3 vs. 72.1 ± 12.9 years, P < 0.001), with a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and ischaemic heart disease. AS severity did not differ significantly, but left ventricular (LV) mass index (119.4 ± 43.7 vs. 112.3 ± 40.6 g/m 2 , P = 0.027) and Doppler mitral inflow E to annular tissue Doppler e' ratio (E: e' 21.5 ± 14.6 vs. 17.8 ± 12.2, P = 0.001) were higher in the CKD group. There was higher mortality (log-rank 51.5, P < 0.001) and more frequent admissions for cardiac failure (log-rank 25.9, P < 0.001) in the CKD group, with a lower incidence of aortic valve replacement (log-rank 7.12, P = 0.008). On multivariate analyses, after adjusting for aortic valve area, age, left ventricular ejection fraction and clinical comorbidities, CKD remained independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.50-2.57, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Concomitant CKD in patients with moderate to severe AS was associated with increased mortality, more frequent admissions for cardiac failure and a lower incidence of aortic valve replacement., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Singapore Medical Journal.)

Background: There is a scarcity of data on the prevalence of abnormal findings on preprocedural computed tomography (CT) before aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS)., Methods: Among consecutive 593 patients with severe AS who were planned to undergo AVR, we evaluated the prevalence of clinically significant incidental noncardiac findings on preprocedural CT. Clinically significant incidental noncardiac findings were defined as newly detected abnormalities that required therapy, consultation for expert, further investigation, or clinical follow-up., Results: The mean age was 82.0 years and 39.5 % of the patients were men. Of those, 78.4 % of the patients were treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and 21.6 % of the patients were treated with surgical AVR (SAVR). There were 271 clinically significant incidental noncardiac findings in 227 patients (38.3 %) including 2.5 % of malignancy. The prevalence of clinically significant incidental noncardiac findings were higher in the TAVI group than in the SAVR group (40.2 % versus 31.3 %). The prevalence of clinically significant incidental noncardiac findings were lower in patients under 60 years of age (10.0 %) than in patients over 60 years of age (60-69 years: 40.0 %, 70-79 years: 34.3 %, 80-89 years: 39.7 %, and ≥90 years: 42.1 %)., Conclusions: Clinically significant incidental noncardiac findings were newly identified on preprocedural CT in approximately 40 % of patients with severe AS undergoing AVR including 2.5 % of malignancy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Kenji Minatoya is a member of the editorial team of Circulation Journal., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the impact of prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and coronary lesion complexity on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) outcomes for aortic stenosis., Methods: Clinical outcomes of TAVR were retrospectively compared between patients with and without prior CABG, and between patients with prior CABG and without coronary artery disease (CAD). The impact of the CABG SYNTAX score was also evaluated in patients with prior CABG., Results: The study included 1042 patients with a median age and follow-up of 82 years and 25 (range: 0-72) months, respectively. Of these, 175 patients had a history of CABG, while 401 were free of CAD. Patients with prior CABG were more likely to be male and had higher rates of diabetes, peripheral artery disease and atrial fibrillation compared with patients without prior CABG. After 2 : 1 propensity score matching, all-cause mortality ( P  = 0.17) and the composite of all-cause mortality, stroke and coronary intervention ( P  = 0.16) were similar between patients with (n = 166) and without (n = 304) prior CABG. A 1 : 1 propensity score-matched analysis, however, showed lower rates of all-cause mortality ( P  = 0.04) and the composite outcome ( P  = 0.04) in patients with prior CABG (n = 134) compared with patients without CAD (n = 134). The median CABG SYNTAX score was 16 (interquartile range: 9.0-23), which was not associated with better/worse clinical outcomes in patients with prior CABG., Conclusion: Prior CABG may positively affect mid-term TAVR outcomes for aortic stenosis compared with no CAD when adjusted for other comorbidities. The CABG SYNTAX score did not influence the prognosis after TAVR., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion of elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) as an indicator of diastolic function after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and its implication in predicting long-term mortality., Methods: We analyzed retrospectively collected data on 3328 patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR in our institution between July 2009 and June 2021. Patients were stratified into two groups based on invasive post-procedural LVEDP measurements: normal (<15 mmHg) vs. elevated (≥15 mmHg) LVEDP., Results: Mean age of the patients was 81.6 years, and 53.3% were female. Elevated post-procedural LVEDP was identified in 2408 (72.3%) patients. The 5-year mortality rates were higher in the group with elevated LVEDP compared with the group with normal LVEDP (27.4% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.01; hazard ratio [HR] 1.22, 95% CI 1.05-1.41). A multivariate model revealed the following independent predictors of mortality after TAVR: post-procedural elevated LVEDP (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.53), pre-procedural significant tricuspid regurgitation (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.02-1.52) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.26-1.86). In the present study, a significant paravalvular leak after TAVR was not associated with higher mortality (HR 1.45, 95% CI-0.95-2.19, p = 0.75)., Conclusion: Elevated post-procedural LVEDP in patients who undergo TAVR is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality. Furthermore, PH and tricuspid regurgitation were also identified as predictors of mortality. These data confirm that diastolic dysfunction is an important predictor of mortality in TAVR and should be considered to guide procedure timing, favoring an early interventional approach and management in aortic stenosis patients., (Copyright © 2023 Hellenic Society of Cardiology. Publishing services by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: About half of patients with severe aortic stenosis present with concomitant coronary artery disease. The optimal timing of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with severe aortic stenosis and concomitant coronary artery disease remains unknown., Study Design: The TAVI PCI trial is a prospective, international, multicenter, randomized, 2-arm, open-label study planning to enroll a total of 986 patients. It is designed to investigate whether the strategy "angiography-guided complete revascularization after (within 1-45 days) TAVI" is noninferior to the strategy "angiography-guided complete revascularization before (within 1-45 days) TAVI" using the Edwards SAPIEN 3 or 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve in patients with severe aortic stenosis and concomitant coronary artery disease. Patients are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of the 2 treatment strategies. The primary end point is a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, rehospitalization (valve- or procedure-related including heart failure), or life-threatening/disabling or major bleeding at 1 year., Conclusions: The TAVI PCI trial tests the hypothesis that the strategy "PCI after TAVI" is noninferior to the strategy "PCI before TAVI" in patients with severe aortic stenosis and concomitant coronary artery disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest TAVI PCI is supported as investigator-initiated research by Edwards Lifesciences (THV-I20-061)., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common cardiovascular condition where early detection of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is essential for timely intervention and optimal management. Current echocardiographic measurements, such as ejection fraction (EF), are insensitive to minor changes in LV function, and strain imaging is typically limited to the global longitudinal strain (GLS) parameter due to robustness issues. This study introduces a novel, fully automatic algorithm to enhance the detection of LV dysfunction in AS patients using multiple strain imaging parameters., Methods: We applied supervised machine-learning techniques to classify data from 82 severe AS patients, 96 chest pain subjects, and 319 healthy volunteers., Results: Our model significantly outperformed EF and GLS in distinguishing AS patients from healthy volunteers (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.97 vs. 0.88 and 0.82, respectively). It also surpassed EF and GLS in differentiating AS patients from chest pain subjects (AUC = 0.95 vs. 0.90 and 0.55, respectively)., Conclusion: This novel, clinically interpretable model leverages the potential of strain imaging to enhance diagnostic accuracy and guide clinical decision-making in LV dysfunction, thereby improving clinical practice., (© 2024 The Author(s). Echocardiography published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Aims: Patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and cardiogenic shock (CS) are an extremely high-risk population with a poor prognosis in the absence of definitive therapy. We aimed to compare the outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with those of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with AS-CS., Methods and Results: We queried the Nationwide Readmission Database (2016-21) to identify patients hospitalized for AS-CS who underwent isolated TAVR or SAVR. In-hospital outcomes of TAVR vs. SAVR were compared using multivariable regression and propensity-matching analyses. Ninety-day readmissions were compared using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. A total of 16 161 patients were hospitalized for AS-CS, of whom 6470 (40.0%) underwent isolated TAVR and 9691 (60.0%) underwent isolated SAVR. From 2016 through 2021, the proportion of TAVR increased from 29.5 to 46.5% and the proportion of SAVR correspondingly decreased in AS-CS (Ptrend < 0.01). After adjustment for baseline characteristics, TAVR was associated with lower odds of stroke [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47-0.84], acute kidney injury (aOR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69-0.93), and major bleeding (aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.40-0.71) and higher odds of vascular complications (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.23-1.97) compared with SAVR. In-hospital mortality, myocardial infarction, permanent pacemaker placement, and 90-day all-cause and heart failure readmissions showed similar rates between TAVR and SAVR. However, hospital length of stay was shorter and total costs and non-home discharges were lower with TAVR than with SAVR., Conclusion: This nationwide observational analysis showed that TAVR is increasingly performed in patients with AS-CS and is associated with similar rates of in-hospital mortality and 90-day readmissions but lower rates of in-hospital complications and resource utilization compared with SAVR., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: none declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is often associated with a concomitant aortopathy. However, few studies have evaluated the effect of the aortic valve (AV) phenotype on the rate of dilation of the aorta. This study aimed to compare the progression rate of aorta dimensions according to AV phenotype (BAV vs tricuspid AV (TAV)), fusion type and sex in patients with aortic stenosis (AS)., Methods: 310 patients with AS (224 TAV and 86 BAV) recruited in the Metabolic Determinants of the Progression of Aortic Stenosis study (PROGRESSA, NCT01679431) were included in this analysis. Doppler echocardiography was performed annually to assess AS severity and measure ascending aorta (AA) dimensions. Baseline and last follow-up visit measurements were used to assess the annualised change., Results: Median AA annualised change was larger in BAV versus TAV (0.33±0.65 mm/year vs 0.21±0.56 mm/year, p=0.04). In the whole cohort, BAV phenotype and higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly associated with fast progression of AA dilation in univariate analysis (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.98, p=0.02; 1.37, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.80, p=0.03, respectively). AA dilation rate did not vary according to the BAV subtype (p=0.142). Predictors of AA progression rate were different between valve phenotypes, with higher apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I ratio, higher baseline peak aortic jet velocity (V peak ) and smaller baseline AA diameter in the TAV cohort (all p<0.05) versus absence of hypertension, higher LDL levels and smaller baseline AA diameter in the BAV cohort (all p<0.02). In men, higher baseline V peak and smaller baseline AA (p<0.001) were independently associated with increased annualised AA dilation, while in women, higher LDL levels (p=0.026) were independently associated with faster AA dilation., Conclusion: This study suggests that BAV is associated with faster dilation of the AA. Predictors of AA dilation are different between valve phenotype and sex, with higher LDL levels being associated with faster AA dilation in BAV., Competing Interests: Competing interests: PP holds the Canada Research Chair in Valvular Heart Diseases, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and has received funding from Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic for echocardiography CoreLab analyses with no personal compensation. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Heyde syndrome, marked by aortic stenosis, gastrointestinal bleeding from angiodysplasia, and acquired von Willebrand syndrome, is often underreported. Shear stress from a narrowed aortic valve degrades von Willebrand factor multimers, leading to angiodysplasia formation and von Willebrand factor deficiency. This case report aims to raise clinician awareness of Heyde syndrome, its complexity, and the need for a multidisciplinary approach. We present a 75-year-old man with aortic stenosis, gastrointestinal bleeding from angiodysplasia, and acquired von Willebrand syndrome type 2A. The patient was successfully treated with argon plasma coagulation and blood transfusions. He declined further treatment for aortic stenosis but was in good overall health with improved laboratory results during follow-up. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive review of the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of this syndrome, discuss current diagnostic and treatment approaches, and offer future perspectives for further research on this topic.

Background: Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) plays a crucial role in risk assessment in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) candidates, yet it remains underutilized. Traditional methods focus on weakness or performance but omit SMM. This study compared traditional and novel markers of sarcopenia and frailty in terms of their ability to predict adverse outcomes post-TAVR., Methods: Three risk models were evaluated for the composite outcome of perioperative complications, 1-year rehospitalization, or 1-year mortality: (1) sarcopenia by combining low muscle mass (LMM) and weakness/performance assessed by hand grip strength or gait speed; (2) frailty by an Adapted Green score; and (3) frailty by the Green-SMI score incorporating LMM by multilevel opportunistic pre-TAVR thoracic CT segmentation., Results: In this study we included 184 eligible patients from January to December of 2018, (96.7%) of which were balloon expandable valves. The three risk models identified 22.8% patients as sarcopenic, 63.6% as frail by the Adapted Green score, and 53.8% as frail by the Green-SMI score. There were higher rates of the composite outcome in patients with sarcopenia (54.8%) and frailty (41.9% with the Adapted Green and 50.5% with the Green-SMI score) compared to their nonsarcopenic (30.3%) and nonfrail counterparts (25.4% with the Adapted Green and 18.8% with the Green-SMI score). Sarcopenia and frailty by Green-SMI, but not by the Adapted Green, were associated with higher risks of the composite outcome on multivariable adjustment (HR 2.2 [95% CI: 1.25-4.02], P = .007 and HR 3.4 [95% CI: 1.75-6.65], P < .001, respectively)., Conclusions: The integration of preoperative CT-based SMM to a frailty score significantly improves the prediction of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competimng interest Dr. Tang served as a consultant for Sequana Medical, Cardiol Therapeutics, Genomics plc, Zehna Therapeutics, Renovacor, WhiteSwell, Boston Scientific, CardiaTec Biosciences, Intellia Therapeutics, Alleviant Medical, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Salubris Biotherapeutics, BioCardia Inc, and has received an honorarium from Springer, Belvoir Publishing, and American Board of Internal Medicine – all unrelated to this manuscript. All other authors have no relationships to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Heyde syndrome is the cooccurrence of aortic stenosis and gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to vascular lesions, including angiodysplasias. Several studies have demonstrated cessation of gastrointestinal bleeding after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), but the etiology and effects on vascular lesions are largely unknown., Objective: To examine the associations of TAVI with gastrointestinal vascular lesions and identify factors associated with recovery among patients with iron deficiency anemia and severe aortic stenosis., Design, Setting, and Participants: In this prospective, single-center cohort study, patients with iron deficiency anemia on the TAVI waiting list from September 2020 to February 2022 were assessed by capsule endoscopy. Those with vascular lesions were reassessed 6 months after TAVI. Endoscopic images were anonymized and evaluated by 2 independent researchers. Data were analyzed from September 2022 to August 2024., Exposure: TAVI., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the mean difference in the number of vascular lesions before vs after TAVI., Results: A total of 24 patients (mean [SD] age, 77.4 [7.1] years; 18 [75.0%] male) underwent capsule endoscopy, and vascular lesions were present in 18 patients (75.0%). TAVI was performed in 15 of 18 patients with vascular lesions, of whom 11 agreed to a second capsule endoscopy. The mean (SD) number of vascular lesions across the gastrointestinal tract decreased from 6.4 (5.6) lesions before TAVI to 2.0 (2.1) lesions 6 months after TAVI (P = .04). The number of vascular lesions decreased in 9 of 11 patients (81.8%), including 6 patients (54.5%) who no longer had typical angiodysplasias. Resolution of angiodysplasias was less frequent in patients who had multiple valvular heart disease before TAVI (0 of 3 patients) vs those without multiple valvular heart disease (6 of 8 patients [75.0%]) and in patients with significant paravalvular leakage after TAVI (2 of 5 patients [40.0%]) vs those without significant leakage (4 of 6 patients [66.7%])., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of 24 patients with iron deficiency anemia and severe aortic stenosis, angiodysplasias were present in 75.0% of patients. TAVI was associated with reduced size and number of angiodysplasias in these patients. These findings suggest that TAVI not only improves aortic stenosis but may also reduce gastrointestinal bleeding by resolving vascular lesions, offering a dual benefit for patients with Heyde syndrome.

Aims: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a sensitive tool to assess pulmonary congestion (PC). Few data are available on LUS-PC evaluation in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and prognostic impact of LUS-PC in patients with severe AS before and after TAVI., Methods and Results: We designed a single-centre prospective study in patients referred for TAVI for severe AS (ClinicalTrials.gov identification number: NCT05024942). All patients underwent echocardiography and LUS (according to a simplified 8-zone scanning protocol) the day before and within 72 h after the procedure. The primary endpoint was the composite of all-cause mortality, hospitalization for heart failure and urgent medical visits for worsening dyspnoea at 12-month follow-up. A total of 127 patients were enrolled (mean age 81.1 ± 5.8 years; 54.3% female). Pre-TAVI LUS-PC was documented in 65 patients (51%). After TAVI, the prevalence of LUS-PC significantly decreased as compared to pre-TAVI evaluation, being documented in only 28 patients (22% vs. 51%, p < 0.001) with a median B-lines score of 4 (interquartile range [IQR] 0-11) versus 11 (IQR 6-19) pre-TAVI (p < 0.001). During a median follow-up of 12 (12-17) months, 25 patients (19.6%) met the composite endpoint. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, pre-TAVI LUS-PC was independently associated with cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 2.764, 95% confidence interval 1.114-6.857; p = 0.028)., Conclusions: Lung ultrasonography reveals a high prevalence of PC in patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI, which is significantly reduced by the procedure. Pre-TAVI PC, measured by LUS, is an independent predictor of 1-year clinical outcome., (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Purpose: Left ventricular myocardial work (LVMW) has been shown to better characterize LV function in patients with severe aortic stenosis by correcting LV afterload. The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution in LVMW indices after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and their prognostic value., Methods: The following LVMW indices were calculated before and immediately after TAVR in 255 patients (median age 82 years, 51% male): global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW) and global work efficiency (GWE). The study endpoint was all-cause mortality., Results: After TAVR, LV ejection fraction and LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) did not change significantly (from 56% to 55%, p = 0.470 and from 13.6% to 13.2%, p = 0.068). Concerning LVMW indices, while LV GWW remained unchanged after TAVR (from 247 to 258 mmHg%, p = 0.080), LV GWI, LV GCW, and LV GWE significantly decreased (from 1882 to 1291 mmHg%, p < 0.001, from 2248 to 1671 mmHg%, p < 0.001, and from 89% to 85%, p < 0.001, respectively). During a median follow-up of 59 [40-72] months, 129 patients died. After correcting for potential confounders (sex, diabetes, renal function, atrial fibrillation, Charlson comorbidity index, and pacemaker implantation post-TAVR), post-TAVR LV GLS, GWI, and GCW remained independently associated with all-cause mortality. However, post-TAVR LV GWI demonstrated the highest increase in model predictivity., Conclusion: In patients undergoing TAVR, LVMW parameters significantly change after intervention. LV GWI after TAVR showed the strongest association with all-cause mortality among both conventional and advanced parameters of LV systolic function both pre- and post-TAVR and might enable better risk stratification of these patients after intervention., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Aims: In low-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), sutureless surgical aortic valve replacement (SU-SAVR) may be an alternative to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The risk of heart failure hospitalization (HFH) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in this population is incompletely characterized. This study aims to investigate the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of HFH in patients undergoing SU-SAVR versus TAVI., Methods and Results: Patients referred for AVR between 2013 and 2020 at two centres were consecutively included. The decision for SU-SAVR or TAVI was determined by a multidisciplinary Heart Team. Cox regression and competing risk analysis were conducted to assess adverse events. Of 594 patients (mean age 77.5 ± 6.4, 59.8% male), 424 underwent SU-SAVR, while 170 underwent TAVI. Following a mean follow-up of 34.1 ± 23.1 months, HFH occurred in 112 (27.8%) SU-SAVR patients and in 8 (4.8%) TAVI patients (P < 0.001). The SU-SAVR cohort exhibited higher all-cause mortality (138 [32.5%] patients compared with 30 [17.6%] in the TAVI cohort [P < 0.001]). These differences remained significant after sensitivity analyses with 1:1 propensity score matching for baseline variables. SU-SAVR with HFH was associated with increased all-cause mortality (61.6% vs. 23.1%, P < 0.001). Independent associates of HFH in SU-SAVR patients included diabetes, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower glomerular filtration rate and lower left ventricular ejection fraction. SU-SAVR patients with HFH had a 12-month LVEF of 59.4 ± 12.7., Conclusions: In low-risk AS, SU-SAVR is associated with a higher risk of HFH and all-cause mortality compared to TAVI. In patients with severe AS candidate to SU-SAVR or TAVI, TAVI may be the preferred intervention., (© 2024 The Author(s). ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)