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Acute kidney injury after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been associated with adverse outcomes; however, data are limited on the subacute changes in renal function that occur after discharge and their impact on clinical outcomes. This study investigates the relation between subacute changes in kidney function at 30 days after TAVI and survival. Patients from 2 centers who underwent TAVI and survived beyond 30 days with baseline, in-hospital, and 30-day measures of renal function were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were stratified based on change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline to 30 days as follows: improved (≥15% higher than baseline), worsened (≤15% lower), or unchanged (values in between). Univariable and multivariable models were constructed to identify predictors of subacute changes in renal function and of 2-year mortality. Of the 492 patients who met inclusion criteria, eGFR worsened in 102 (22%), improved in 110 (22%), and was unchanged in 280 (56%). AKI occurred in 90 patients (18%) and in only 27% of patients with worsened eGFR at 30 days. After statistical adjustment, worsened eGFR at 30 days (hazard ratio vs unchanged eGFR 2.09, 95% CI 1.37 to 3.19, p0.001) was associated with worse survival, whereas improvement in renal function was not associated with survival (hazard ratio vs unchanged eGFR 1.30, 95% CI 0.79 to 2.11, p = 0.30). Worsened renal function at 30 days after TAVI is associated with increased mortality after TAVI. In conclusion, monitoring renal function after discharge may identify patients at high risk of adverse outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Left ventricular (LV) systolic strain has been shown to be an early marker of LV dysfunction in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) despite preserved ejection fraction (EF). Echocardiography has provided useful data on regional LV strain patterns, but is not as sensitive as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). No prior studies have used MRI-based strain analysis to characterize regional three-dimensional strain in patients with severe AS. METHODS Twelve patients with severe AS and preserved EF underwent MRI-based multiparametric strain analysis. Circumferential and longitudinal strain values were calculated at individual points throughout the LV and analyzed in 12 discrete regions. Strain values were compared to a database of normal controls. RESULTS Compared to control patients, circumferential strain in AS patients was significantly reduced at the base (P = 0.002), mid (P = 0.042), and inferior walls (P

An inflammatory response after cardiac surgery is associated with worse clinical outcomes, but recent trials to attenuate it have been neutral. We evaluated the association between systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and mortality after transcatheter (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for aortic stenosis (AS) and evaluated whether diabetes influenced this relationship.Patients (n=747) with severe AS treated with TAVR (n=264) or SAVR (n=483) between January 2008 and December 2013 were included and 37% had diabetes mellitus. SIRS was defined by four criteria 12-48 h after aortic valve replacement (AVR): (1) white blood cell count4 or12; (2) heart rate90; (3) temperature36 or38°C; or (4) respiratory rate20. Severe SIRS was defined as meeting all four criteria. The primary endpoint was 6-month all-cause mortality (60 deaths occurred by 6 months). Inverse probability weighting (IPW) was performed on 44 baseline and procedural variables to minimise confounding.Severe SIRS developed in 6% of TAVR patients and 11% of SAVR patients (p=0.02). Six-month mortality tended to be higher in those with severe SIRS (15.5%) versus those without (7.4%) (p=0.07). After adjustment, severe SIRS was associated with higher 6-month mortality (IPW adjusted HR 2.77, 95% CI 2.04 to 3.76, p0.001). Moreover, severe SIRS was more strongly associated with increased mortality in diabetic (IPW adjusted HR 4.12, 95% CI 2.69 to 6.31, p0.001) than non-diabetic patients (IPW adjusted HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.73, p=0.02) (interaction p=0.007). The adverse effect of severe SIRS on mortality was similar after TAVR and SAVR.Severe SIRS was associated with a higher mortality after SAVR or TAVR. It occurred more commonly after SAVR and had a greater effect on mortality in diabetic patients. These findings may have implications for treatment decisions in patients with AS, may help explain differences in outcomes between different AVR approaches and identify diabetic patients as a high-risk subgroup to target in clinical trials with therapies to attenuate SIRS.

Increased aortic calcification is associated with mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Because calcification increases vascular stiffness, we hypothesized that this association may be due to increased residual load on the heart after TAVR and that luminal area (which also

To determine the role of preoperative pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) evaluated for aortic valve replacement (AVR), and to evaluate the association between lung disease and mortality in specific subgroups.Between 2008 and 2013, 535 patients with preoperative PFTs underwent AVR (transcatheter AVR [TAVR], n = 246; surgical AVR [SAVR], n = 289). The severity of lung disease determined by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) definition was evaluated in those with and without a clinical suspicion for lung disease (smoking, inhaled steroids/bronchodilators, or home oxygen). The association between lung disease and 1-year mortality was evaluated.Of the 186 patients (35%) without suspected lung disease, 39 (21%) had moderate/severe lung disease by PFT analysis. Among all patients, 1-year mortality was 12% in those with no lung disease, 17% in those with no mild lung disease, 22% in those with moderate lung disease, and 31% in those with severe lung disease (P.001, log-rank test). After adjustment, moderate/severe lung disease was associated with increased 1-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-3.29; P = .002); this association was not altered by smoking history, suspicion of lung disease, New York Heart Association class, or AVR type (interaction P value nonsignificant for all).In patients with AS evaluated for AVR, the STS risk score is significantly influenced by the severity of lung disease, which is determined predominantly by PFT results. Even when lung disease is not suspected, PFTs are abnormal in many patients undergoing AVR. Moderate/severe lung disease, diagnosed predominantly by PFTs, is an independent predictor of mortality after SAVR or TAVR. Collectively, these findings suggest that PFTs should be a routine part of the risk stratification of patients considered for AVR.