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IMPORTANCE: In patients with severe aortic stenosis and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 50%, early LVEF improvement after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with improved 1-year mortality; however, its association with long-term clinical outcomes is not known. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between early LVEF improvement after TAVR and 5-year outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study analyzed patients enrolled in the Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves (PARTNER) 1, 2, and S3 trials and registries between July 2007 and April 2015. High- and intermediate-risk patients with baseline LVEF less than 50% who underwent transfemoral TAVR were included in the current study. Data were analyzed from August 2020 to May 2021. EXPOSURES: Early LVEF improvement, defined as increase of 10 percentage points or more at 30 days and also as a continuous variable (ΔLVEF between baseline and 30 days). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: All-cause death at 5 years. RESULTS: Among 659 included patients with LVEF less than 50%, 468 (71.0%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 82.4 (7.7) years. LVEF improvement within 30 days following transfemoral TAVR occurred in 216 patients (32.8%) (mean [SD] ΔLVEF, 16.4 [5.7%]). Prior myocardial infarction, diabetes, cancer, higher baseline LVEF, larger left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, and larger aortic valve area were independently associated with lower likelihood of LVEF improvement. Patients with vs without early LVEF improvement after TAVR had lower 5-year all-cause death (102 [50.0%; 95% CI, 43.3-57.1] vs 246 [58.4%; 95% CI, 53.6-63.2]; P = .04) and cardiac death (52 [29.5%; 95% CI, 23.2-37.1] vs 135 [38.1%; 95% CI, 33.1-43.6]; P = .05). In multivariable analyses, early improvement in LVEF (modeled as a continuous variable) was associated with lower 5-year all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio per 5% increase in LVEF, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.88-1.00]; P = .04) and cardiac death (adjusted hazard ratio per 5% increase in LVEF, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.82-0.98]; P = .02) after TAVR. Restricted cubic spline analysis demonstrated a visual inflection point at ΔLVEF of 10% beyond which there was a steep decline in all-cause mortality with increasing degree of LVEF improvement. There were no statistically significant differences in rehospitalization, New York Heart Association functional class, or Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Overall Summary score at 5 years in patients with vs without early LVEF improvement. In subgroup analysis, the association between early LVEF improvement and 5-year all-cause death was consistent regardless of the presence or absence of coronary artery disease or prior myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In patients with severe aortic stenosis and LVEF less than 50%, 1 in 3 experience LVEF improvement within 1 month after TAVR. Early LVEF improvement is associated with lower 5-year all-cause and cardiac death.

To compare echocardiographic and invasive mean gradients obtained concomitantly in degenerated bioprosthetic surgical aortic valves (SAVRs).

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a prevalent valvular disorder necessitating timely intervention, particularly when symptomatic. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the recommended treatment, but delays in access to AVR are common and linked to adverse outcomes and increased healthcare costs. This study aims to assess the healthcare cost burden associated with delaying transcatheter AVR (TAVR) in Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with clinically significant AS.

The identification and management of patients with aortic stenosis exist along a continuum that includes healthy living, latent progression, diagnosis, treatment, and posttreatment recovery. Barriers to the provision of appropriate care for these patients can occur at any stage along this continuum. Despite the presence of diagnostic echocardiograms, many patients with aortic stenosis are never clinically recognized, and the rate of mismanagement worsens among underrepresented minority groups and women. Regarding the treatment of clinically recognized aortic stenosis, only about half of patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis actually undergo aortic valve replacement within 2 ​years of diagnosis. Treatment rates are even lower among patients with symptomatic low-gradient severe aortic stenosis. Although several strategies have been raised by experts within the field to help and improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with aortic valve disease, timely referral to a heart valve team specialist whenever aortic valve replacement is being considered likely remains the most pertinent intervention. Connecting these patients with fully informed aortic valve disease experts helps facilitate shared decision-making discussions, thus ensuring that patients have the opportunity to learn about and potentially receive the lifesaving interventions available to them.

Liver cirrhosis is not included in surgical risk prediction models despite being a significant risk factor associated with high periprocedural morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Limited contemporary data exists assessing the outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with cirrhosis.

IMPORTANCE: Among those with aortic stenosis, natriuretic peptide levels can provide risk stratification, predict symptom onset, and aid decisions regarding the timing of valve replacement. Less is known about the prognostic significance and potential clinical utility of natriuretic peptide levels measured after valve replacement. OBJECTIVE: To determine the associations of elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and change in BNP levels between follow-up time points with risk of subsequent clinical outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cohort study, patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis at intermediate, high, or prohibitive surgical risk for aortic valve replacement who underwent TAVR from the PARTNER IIA cohort, PARTNER IIB cohort, SAPIEN 3 intermediate-risk registry, and SAPIEN 3 high-risk registry were included. B-type natriuretic peptide levels were obtained at baseline and discharge as well as 30 days and 1 year after TAVR. For each measurement, a BNP ratio was calculated using measured BNP level divided by the upper limit of normal for the assay used. Outcomes were evaluated in landmark analyses out to 2 years. Data were collected from April 2011 to January 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: All-cause death, cardiovascular death, rehospitalization, and the combined end point of cardiovascular death or rehospitalization. RESULTS: Among 3391 included patients, 1969 (58.1%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 82 (7.5) years. Most patients had a BNP ratio greater than 1 at each follow-up time point, including 2820 of 3256 (86.6%) at baseline, 2652 of 2995 (88.5%) at discharge, 1779 of 2209 (80.5%) at 30 days, and 1799 of 2391 (75.2%) at 1 year. After adjustment, every 1-point increase in BNP ratio at 30 days (approximately equivalent to an increase of 100 pg/mL in BNP) was associated with an increased hazard of all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.15), cardiovascular death (aHR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.11-1.21), and rehospitalization (aHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.14) between 30 days and 2 years. Among those with a BNP ratio of 2 or more at discharge, after adjustment, every 1-point decrease in BNP ratio between discharge and 30 days was associated with a decreased hazard of all-cause death (aHR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.88-0.96) between 30 days and 2 years. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Elevated BNP levels after TAVR was independently associated with increased subsequent mortality and rehospitalizations. Further studies to determine how best to mitigate this risk are warranted.

IMPORTANCE: The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently released an updated national coverage determination proposal for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) that maintains a focus on hospital TAVR volume and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) volume, and the national coverage determination for transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) also has PCI volume requirements. However, the associations between hospital PCI volume and TAVR and TMVr outcomes are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether hospital inpatient PCI volume is associated with rates of risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality and 30-day hospital readmission after TAVR and TMVr. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cross-sectional study of the 2016 Nationwide Readmissions Database included procedures completed in hospitals with a minimum of 5 TAVR or 5 TMVr procedures between January 1, 2016, and November 30, 2016. EXPOSURES: Hospitals were divided into quartiles based on annual inpatient PCI volumes. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission rates. The associations between hospital inpatient PCI quartile and outcomes were evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Risk adjustment for in-hospital mortality rates was done through inclusion of variables based on the Elixhauser comorbidity classification, and risk adjustment for 30-day readmission rates was done in accordance with the Hospital-Wide Readmission Measure methodology used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for public reporting. RESULTS: There were 283 hospitals that performed at least 5 TAVRs, with a median inpatient PCI volume of 386 (interquartile range, 299-571) procedures, and 125 hospitals that performed at least 5 TMVr procedures, with a median inpatient PCI volume of 451 (interquartile range, 326-651) procedures. There was no association between hospital inpatient PCI volume and median TAVR risk-standardized in-hospital mortality (median [IQR] rates: bottom quartile, 1.82% [1.77%-1.90%]; second quartile, 1.81% [1.76%-1.86%]; third quartile, 1.81% [1.75%-1.90%]; top quartile, 1.82% [1.76%-1.91%]; P = .75) or the 30-day readmission (median [IQR] rates: bottom quartile, 13.6% [13.2%-14.3%]; second quartile, 13.3% [12.7%-14.0%]; third quartile, 13.5% [12.7%-14.3%]; top quartile, 13.8% [12.8%-14.3%]; P = .10) rates. Similarly, there was no association between hospital inpatient PCI volume and median TMVr risk-standardized in-hospital mortality rates (median [IQR] rates: bottom quartile, 1.84% [1.47%-2.53%]; second quartile, 1.65% [1.21%-3.02%]; third quartile, 1.80% [1.52%-3.58%]; top quartile, 1.76% [1.33%-4.20%]; P = .71) or 30-day readmission rates (median [IQR] rates: bottom quartile, 13.4% [13.1%-13.6%]; second quartile, 13.1% [12.9%-13.5%]; third quartile, 13.1% [12.9%-13.5%]; top quartile, 13.3% [12.8%-13.6%]; P = .30). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, there was no association between inpatient PCI volume and TAVR or TMVr outcomes. Further evidence is needed to support inclusion of PCI volume minimums in national coverage determination requirements for hospital TAVR and TMVr programs.

IMPORTANCE: Pulmonary hypertension (pHTN) is associated with increased risk of mortality after mitral valve surgery for mitral regurgitation. However, its association with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) with a commercially available system (MitraClip) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of pHTN with readmissions for heart failure and 1-year all-cause mortality after TMVr. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 4071 patients who underwent TMVr with the MitraClip system from November 4, 2013, through March 31, 2017, across 232 US sites in the Society of Thoracic Surgery/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy registry. Patients were stratified into the following 4 groups based on invasive mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP): 1103 with no pHTN (mPAP, <25 mm Hg [group 1]); 1399 with mild pHTN (mPAP, 25-34 mm Hg [group 2]); 1011 with moderate pHTN (mPAP, 35-44 mm Hg [group 3]); and 558 with severe pHTN (mPAP, ≥45 mm Hg [group 4]). Data were analyzed from November 4, 2013, through March 31, 2017. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were stratified into groups before TMVr, and clinical outcomes were assessed at 1 year after intervention. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary end point was a composite of 1-year mortality and readmissions for heart failure. Secondary end points were 30-day and 1-year mortality and readmissions for heart failure. Linkage to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrative claims was performed to assess 1-year outcomes in 2381 patients. RESULTS: Among the 4071 patients included in the analysis, the median age was 81 years (interquartile range, 73-86 years); 1885 (46.3%) were women and 2186 (53.7%) were men. The composite rate of 1-year mortality and readmissions for heart failure was 33.6% (95% CI, 31.6%-35.7%), which was higher in those with pHTN (27.8% [95% CI, 24.2%-31.5%] in group 1, 32.4% [95% CI, 29.0%-35.8%] in group 2, 36.0% [95% CI, 31.8%-40.2%] in group 3, and 45.2% [95% CI, 39.1%-51.0%] in group 4; P < .001). Similarly, 1-year mortality (16.3% [95% CI, 13.4%-19.5%] in group 1, 19.8% [95% CI, 17.0%-22.8%] in group 2, 22.4% [95% CI, 18.8%-26.1%] in group 3, and 27.8% [95% CI, 22.6%-33.3%] in group 4; P < .001) increased across pHTN groups. The association of pHTN with mortality persisted despite multivariable adjustment (hazard ratio per 5-mm Hg mPAP increase, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: These findings suggest that pHTN is associated with increased mortality and readmission for heart failure in patients undergoing TMVr using the MitraClip system for severe mitral regurgitation. Further efforts are needed to determine whether earlier intervention before pHTN develops will improve clinical outcomes.

Few studies have examined the efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) for reducing aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass graft (SVG) failure compared with bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients undergoing stenting of de-novo SVG lesions. We assessed the risks and benefits of the use of DES versus BMS in de-novo SVG lesions.

IMPORTANCE: Clinical practice guidelines currently endorse a reliance on clinical symptoms of overt left ventricular (LV) failure to time aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis; however, delayed aortic valve replacement can result in irreversible LV injury and adverse outcomes. Blood metabolomic signatures possess prognostic value in heart failure; this study assesses whether they are informative in aortic stenosis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of metabolomic signatures in reflecting the extent of maladaptive LV remodeling in patients with end-stage aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and to assess whether this procedure reverses metabolomic aberrations. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study of 44 patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who underwent transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement at a single-center tertiary care hospital. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry-based metabolomic profiling was performed on blood samples collected before and 24 hours after the procedure, and analyses were conducted to identify metabolites related to the measures of LV remodeling. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: We evaluated LV ejection fraction, LV mass index, and relative wall thickness, as well as levels of the acylcarnitines C16, C18:1, C18:2, C18, C26, choline, and kynurenine. RESULTS: We enrolled 44 patients with severe aortic stenosis with a mean (SD) age of 81.9 (8.5) years, of whom 23 (52%) were women. The mean (SD) LV ejection fraction was 56.7% (18.2%), mean (SD) LV mass index was 117.3 (41.4) g/m2, and relative wall thickness was 0.53 (0.14). The mean β values of acylcarnitines C16, C18:1, C18:2, C18, and C26 were independently associated with LV mass index (C16: mean, 19.24; 95% CI, 5.48-33.01; P = .008; C18:1: mean, 26.18; 95% CI, 14.04-38.32; P < 1.0 × 10-4; C18:2: mean, 17.42; 95% CI, 3.40-31.43; P = .02; C18: mean, 25.25; 95% CI, 10.91-39.58; P = .001; C26: mean, 19.93; 95% CI, 4.41-35.45; P = .01), even after adjustments for age, sex, diabetes status, renal function, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Circulating levels of C18:2 acylcarnitine were associated with LV ejection fraction before and after multivariable adjustment (mean, −6.11; 95% CI, −10.88 to 1.34; P = .01). Blood metabolite levels did not independently relate to relative wall thickness. Within 24 hours of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, circulating levels of C16 decreased by 30.2% (P = 7.3 × 10-6), C18:1 by 42.7% (P = 3.7 × 10-8), C18:2 by 37.3% (P = 5.1 × 10-6), and C18 by 38.3% (P = 3.4 × 10-5). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, circulating levels of long-chain acylcarnitines were independently associated with measures of maladaptive LV remodeling, and metabolic perturbations lessened after procedure completion. Further efforts are needed to determine the clinical applicability of these novel biomarkers.

To evaluate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and risk of cardiac events in patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).

ObjectivesRheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) is a progressive disease, and risk of death may persist despite relief of the obstruction. Net atrioventricular compliance (Cn) modulates the overall haemodynamic burden of the MS and may be useful in predicting cardiovascular death after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV).MethodsA total of 427 patients (mean age 50±16 years, 84% female) with severe MS undergoing PMV were enrolled. Doppler-derived Cnwas estimated at baseline using a previously validated equation. The primary endpoint was late cardiovascular death, and the secondary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality, mitral valve (MV) replacement or repeat PMV over a median follow-up of 31 months (IQR: 7.8–49.2 months).ResultsAt baseline, 209 patients (49%) were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV. During follow-up, 49 patients died (41 cardiovascular deaths), 50 underwent MV replacement and 12 required repeat PMV, with an overall incidence of cardiac mortality and adverse events of 4.1 deaths and 11.1 events per 100 patient-years, respectively. Low baseline Cnwas a strong predictor of both cardiac death (adjusted HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.86) and composite endpoint (adjusted HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.91) after adjusting for clinical factors, baseline pulmonary artery pressure, tricuspid regurgitation severity, right ventricular function and immediate procedural haemodynamic data. The inclusion of Cnin a model with conventional parameters resulted in improvement in 5-year cardiovascular mortality risk prediction.ConclusionsBaseline Cnis a strong predictor of cardiovascular death in patients with MS undergoing PMV, independent of other prognostic markers of decreased survival in MS, including baseline patient characteristics and postprocedural data. Cnassessment therefore has potential value in evaluation of cardiovascular mortality risk in the setting of MS.

In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration approved a second mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair device for the treatment of primary mitral regurgitation (PASCAL Precision Transcatheter Valve Repair System, Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA). The PASCAL Precision system consists of a guide sheath, implant system, and accessories. The implant system consists of a steerable catheter, an implant catheter, and the implant (PASCAL or PASCAL Ace). The guide sheath and steerable catheter move and flex independently from each other and are not keyed, allowing for freedom of rotation in three dimensions. This manuscript provides an overview of the PASCAL Precision system and describes the basic and advanced steering maneuvers to facilitate effective and safe mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

The role of echocardiography in deriving transvalvular mean-gradients from transaortic velocities in aortic stenosis (AS) and in degenerated surgical bioprosthetic valves (SVD) is well established. However, reports following surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and valve-in-valve-TAVR (ViV-TAVR) have cautioned against the use of echocardiography-derived mean-gradients to assess normal functioning bioprosthesis due to discrepancy compared to invasive measures in a phenomenon called discordance.

Introduction:Despite its high prevalence, the rate of progression of aortic valve stenosis (AS) remains incompletely characterized and assumed to be constant across the spectrum of AS severity. Previous studies involve limited number of patients, short follow-up, and focused on more severe stages of AS.Hypothesis:The annual rate of AS progression as defined by aortic valve mean gradient (AVMG) increases in magnitude as AS class severity increases.Methods:The study cohort included adult patients with native AS from the MGH echocardiography database from 1990 to 2020. Patients were included if AVMG was reported in at least two echocardiograms in mild, moderate, or severe AS stages. Generalized linear mixed models were employed to simultaneously model fixed effects and random effects stratified by AS severity grade. Multivariable models included age, sex, race, dyslipidemia, DM2, kidney disease, LVEF, moderate/severe AI, and AV morphology. A linear model identified risk factors for rapid progression in severe AS.Results:In 8,848 patients with 29,513 echocardiograms, baseline mean gradient for mild, moderate, and severe AS was 7.0, 20.9, and 43.0 mmHg, respectively. The annual rate of progression in mild, moderate, and severe AS was found to be 0.3, 1.0, and 4.0 mmHg/year. Female gender and white race increased the rate of AVMG by 0.57mmHg/year and 1.05mmHg/year.Conclusions:The progression of AS accelerates with worsening severity of AS. The rate of AVMG progression in severe AS is similar to historically accepted values, but rates are slower for mild and moderate AS. Female gender and white race may be associated with faster progression in severe AS.

Treatment with aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor is commonly used in patients with cardiovascular disorders. The overall effect of such treatment on all-cause mortality is unknown. In the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) Study, continuation of dual antiplatelet therapy beyond 12 months after coronary stenting was associated with an unexpected increase in non-cardiovascular death. In view of the potential public health importance of these findings, we aimed to assess the effect of extended duration dual antiplatelet therapy on mortality by doing a meta-analysis of all randomised, controlled trials of treatment duration in various cardiovascular disorders.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a progressive condition associated with high mortality if not treated. The hemodynamic effects of AS have serious implications for the left ventricle. In this review, we describe the responses of the left ventricle to AS by highlighting the process of adaptive remodelling, which begins as a beneficial compensatory mechanism but ultimately transitions to a maladaptive process with potentially irreversible consequences. We discuss the impact of left ventricular (LV) remodelling on diastolic and systolic function and on the development of symptoms. In addition, we review the adverse consequences of maladaptive LV remodelling on clinical outcomes before and after aortic valve replacement. The relative irreversibility of maladaptive remodelling and the clear relationship between its progression and clinical outcomes suggest a need to incorporate measures of LV performance beyond simply systolic function when deciding on the timing of valve replacement.

The Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves (PARTNER) trial demonstrated similar survival after transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement (TAVR and SAVR, respectively) in high-risk patients with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction on clinical outcomes after TAVR and SAVR and the impact of aortic valve replacement technique on LV function.

Initial enthusiasm for balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement waned because of the perceived failure of the procedure to alter the natural history of calcific severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) and significant initial procedural morbidity. Despite technical and procedural advances, BAV has been reserved as a palliative procedure for patients who cannot undergo valve replacement or as a bridge to surgery in hemodynamically unstable patients. This article reviews the indications, technical aspects, and outcomes of BAV for calcific AS and discusses the current role of BAV in the era of transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Traditional and nontraditional factors increase cardiovascular risk in patients with kidney disease. In this Review, Dr. van der Zee and colleagues highlight important cardiovascular risk factors in patients with varying degrees of kidney function and discuss therapeutic strategies for reducing cardiovascular risk in these patients.

Introduction:Despite the rapid growth of aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS), studies have suggested that symptomatic severe AS remains undertreated.Hypothesis:The growth in patients with an indication for AVR has outpaced the number of AVRs performed.Methods:We identified patients with severe AS (aortic valve area <1cm2) on transthoracic echocardiograms from 2000-2017 at two large academic medical centers. Natural language processing (NLP) models were developed and validated to identify symptoms consistent with severe AS, and patients were classified based on ACC/AHA clinical guideline indications for AVR. Patients were divided into groups based on mean aortic valve gradient (mAVG≥ 40 or <40mmHg) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF≥50% or <50%). Utilization of AVR (transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI] or surgical aortic valve replacement [SAVR]) in patients with a clinical indication was examined over time, and clinical predictors of AVR were identified via multivariate logistic regression.Results:A total of 10,795 AS patients were included in this analysis, of whom 6,150 (57%) had an indication or potential indication for AVR and 2,976 (48%) received AVR. The frequency of AVR varied by AS subtype (HG-NEF: 69%, HG-LEF: 53%, LG-NEF: 32%, LG-LEF: 38%, p<0.001). The adoption of TAVI contributed to the growth in AVR volume over time, however there has been a parallel rise in the number of patients with an indication for AVR (Figure).In patients with a class I indication for AVR, younger age, coronary artery disease, smoking history, higher hematocrit, outpatient index TTE, and LVEF≥0.5 were independently associated with an increased likelihood of receiving an AVR.Conclusions:Over an 18-year study period, the proportion of patients with an indication for AVR who do not receive AVR has remained significant despite the rapid growth of AVR volumes.

In light of recent studies demonstrating a lack of benefit with late reperfusion, Sammy Elmariah, Sidney Smith and Valentin Fuster review the data for and against late reperfusion for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The effects of current medical therapies, risk-stratification techniques and indications for the use of late reperfusion over medical management are also examined.

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Objective:To identify the degree to which shared decision making (SDM) is occurring for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) considering aortic valve replacement (AVR) as measured by the Shared Decision Making Process (SDMP) measure.Methods:Patient eligibility was ascertained via the electronic medical record. Eligible patients were between 18-85, spoke English, were diagnosed with severe AS, either had no prior AVR or had AVR more than 6 months prior, and were at low to intermediate risk for surgical AVR (SAVR). Patients were ineligible if they had a concomitant disease of the aorta or another heart valve that required intervention. Eligible patients were approached in either the Interventional Cardiology or Cardiac Surgery clinic after the respective visit and asked to complete the Shared Decision Making Process (SDMP) Measure, which includes 6 questions with a total score ranging from 0-4. The questions focus on if options were presented (yes/no), preferences elicited (yes/no), and if the pros and cons of transcatheter AVR (TAVR) and SAVR were discussed (?a lot?, ?some?, ?a little?, or ?not at all?). A higher score indicates greater shared decision making occurred.Results:Of 60 enrolled patients, 59 (98%) returned their survey. Most patients were recruited after the visit with an interventional cardiologist (68%, 40 of 59). The average age was 72 years (SD=7 years), all patients were white, 67.8% (40 of 59) were men, and 82.1% (46 of 56) had more than a high school education. There was a trend toward patients reporting higher SDMP scores if patients were recruited in the cardiac surgery clinic (M=3.0, SD=0.7) when compared to those recruited in the interventional cardiology clinic (M=2.6, SD=1.1; t(57)=1.4, p=.164, d=.39). Nearly all (96.6%, 57 of 59) patients stated they were presented with different options to treat their AS and 88.1% (52 of 59) reported discussing the pros of TAVR while 78.0% (46 of 59) discussed SAVR ?some? or ?a lot.? Conversely, fewer patients stated they discussed the cons of TAVR (57.6%, 34 of 59) or SAVR (49.2%, 29 of 59) ?some? or ?a lot.? Most patients stated they were asked what they wanted to do to treat their AS (64.4%, 38 of 59).Conclusions:One third of patients did not recall being asked for their preference?a key component of shared decision making conversations. Given the importance of patients being well informed in this preference sensitive decision context, future work should seek to understand both how this multidisciplinary approach may benefit patients, and how to ensure the downsides of options and patient preferences are discussed during the visit.

Background: Right ventricular function (RVF) is an independent predictor of prognosis for patients undergoing aortic valve replacement: transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The effect of transfemoral aortic valve replacement (TF-TAVR) on RVF is uncertain. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis of the effect of TF-TAVR on RVF in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and compare the effect of TF-TAVR with SAVR.Methods: We searched relevant studies from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library databases, and Web of Science. Furthermore, two reviewers (Wang AQ and Cao YS) extracted all relevant data, which were then double checked by another two reviewers (Zhang M and Qi GM). We used the forest plot to present results. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was the primary outcome.Results: This meta-analysis included 11 studies. There were 353 patients who underwent TF-TAVR, and 358 patients who were subjected to SAVR. There was no significant difference in TAPSE at 1 week and 6 months as well as right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) at <2 weeks and 6 months after TF-TAVR. For the SAVR group, TAPSE at 1 week and 3 months as well as fractional area change (FAC) at 3 months post procedure were significantly aggravated, while RVEF did not change significantly. Moreover, TAPSE post-TF-TAVR was significantly improved as compared with post-SAVR. The △TAPSE, the difference between TAPSE post-procedure and TAPSE prior to procedure, was also significantly better in the TF-TAVR group than in the SAVR group.Conclusion: RVF was maintained post TF-TAVR. For SAVR, discrepancy in the measured parameters exists, as reduced TAPSE indicates compromised longitudinal RVF, while insignificant changes in RVEF implicate maintained RVF post procedure. Collectively, our study suggests that the baseline RV dysfunction and the effect of TF-TAVR versusSAVR on longitudinal RVF may influence the selection of aortic valve intervention.

High left ventricular stroke work and low vascular impedance predict better quality of life after valve intervention in patients with aortic stenosis.

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Activin type II receptor signaling regulates cardiac function in aging and heart failure by modulating proteasome-dependent SERCA2a degradation.

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Introduction: Although transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) is a contrast-free procedure, prior single-center studies have demonstrated a high incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) following TMVr. The main objective of this study was to examine risk factors for AKI, and its association with outcomes in patients undergoing TMVr., Methods: We queried the National Readmission Database to identify TMVr procedures performed between January 2014 and December 2017. Complex samples multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with AKI, as well as to determine the association between AKI and clinical outcomes (in-hospital mortality, index length of stay (LOS), 30-day all-cause readmissions, and 30-day heart failure [HF] readmissions)., Results: Of 14,623 patients who underwent TMVr during the study period, 2,001 (13.6%) had a diagnosis of AKI. HF, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, fluid/electrolyte disorder, weight loss, nonelective admission, cardiogenic shock, and bleeding/transfusion were independently associated with an increased risk of AKI. In patients undergoing TMVr, AKI was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.92-8.34), 30-day all-cause readmissions (aOR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.49-2.46), 30-day HF readmissions (aOR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.38-3.84), and longer index LOS (adjusted parameter estimate, 5.78; 95% CI, 5.26-6.41)., Conclusion: AKI in the setting of TMVr is common and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Further studies are needed to determine if optimizing renal function prior to TMVr may improve outcomes, as well as to understand the impact of TMVr itself on renal function., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)