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Transcatheter heart valve technology has rapidly progressed since initial approval in the United States. There are currently two widely available transcatheter heart valve delivery systems approved in the US; however limited data exist on optimal device selection for various patient populations. This review explores the characteristics of currently approved transcatheter heart valve systems and scenarios where one valve system may be favored over others. We provide a simplified decision tree for selecting the optimal transcatheter valve system for specific patient-centered characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Few studies characterize the epidemiology and outcomes of aortic stenosis (AS) in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). This study investigates the significance of AS in contemporary patients who have experienced an ADHF hospitalization. METHODS: The ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) surveilled ADHF hospitalizations for residents ≥55 years of age in 4 US communities. ADHF cases were stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Demographic differences in AS burden and the association of varying AS severities with mortality were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: From 2005 through 2014, there were 3597 (weighted n=16 692) ADHF hospitalizations of which 48.6% had an LVEF CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who have experienced an ADHF hospitalization, AS is prevalent and portends poor mortality outcomes. Notably, mild/moderate AS is independently associated with 1-year mortality in this high-risk population.

Objectives This study investigates the prevalence and prognostic significance of mitral regurgitation (MR) in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients. Background Few studies characterize the burden of MR in heart failure. Methods The ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study surveilled ADHF hospitalizations for residents ≥55 years of age in 4 U.S. communities. ADHF cases were stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): Results From 2005 to 2014, there were 17,931 weighted ADHF hospitalizations of which 49.2% had an LVEF Conclusions Patients with ADHF have a significant MR burden that varies with sex and race. In ADHF patients with an LVEF

Background The burden of amyloidosis among hospitalized patients is increasing over time. However, amyloidosis remains an underdiagnosed cause of heart failure (HF) hospitalization among older adults. Objectives We investigated the prevalence and prognostic implications of amyloidosis among patients hospitalized with HF. Methods All hospitalizations for primary diagnosis of HF between January 1, 2010, and August 31, 2015, identified in the Nationwide Readmissions Database were categorized into those with and without a secondary diagnosis of amyloidosis. HF hospitalizations with amyloidosis were then matched in a 3:1 fashion to HF hospitalizations without amyloidosis using the year of admission, discharge quarter, age, sex, and Charlson comorbidity index. Primary outcomes were inpatient mortality and 30-day readmission. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between HF with amyloidosis and clinical outcomes. Results Of 1,593,360 HF hospitalizations that met inclusion criteria, 2,846 (0.18%) had HF with a secondary diagnosis of amyloidosis and were matched to 8,515 hospitalizations for HF without amyloidosis. Hospitalizations for HF with amyloidosis were associated with higher prevalence of kidney disease (56% vs. 45%), malignancy (20% vs. 4%), and higher inpatient mortality (6% vs. 3%) as compared with HF without amyloidosis. In adjusted analyses, HF with amyloidosis was associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio: 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17 to 1.82), 30-day readmission (odds ratio: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.31), and longer mean length of stay (least-squares mean difference: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.80). Conclusions In patients hospitalized with decompensated HF, presence of amyloidosis was associated with higher risk of inpatient mortality and 30-day readmission., Central Illustration

Graphical abstract, Highlights • Barlow's disease is a degenerative mitral valvulopathy with highly complex anatomy. • Barlow's disease is classically unfavorable for TMVr using MitraClip. • Patients with Barlow's disease, SAM, and high surgical risk may be candidates for TMVr.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) first received FDA approval for high-risk surgical patients in 2011 and has been approved for low-risk surgical patients since 2019. It is now the most common type of aortic valve replacement, and its use continues to accelerate. Computer modeling and simulation (CM&S) is a tool to aid in TAVR device design, regulatory approval, and indication in patient-specific care. This study introduces a computational fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model of TAVR with Medtronic’s CoreValve Evolut R device using the immersed finite element-difference (IFED) method. We perform dynamic simulations of crimping and deployment of the Evolut R, as well as device behavior across the cardiac cycle in a patient-specific aortic root anatomy reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) image data. These IFED simulations, which incorporate biomechanics models fit to experimental tensile test data, automatically capture the contact within the device and between the self-expanding stent and native anatomy. Further, we apply realistic driving and loading conditions based on clinical measurements of human ventricular and aortic pressures and flow rates to demonstrate that our Evolut R model supports a physiological diastolic pressure load and provides informative clinical performance predictions.

The study aimed to evaluate cost trends associated with mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER).TEER is a treatment option for patients at prohibitive surgical risk with moderate to severe mitral valve regurgitation and NYHA class III or IV symptoms. The 30-day costs and causes of readmission following TEER have not been well studied.Patients undergoing mitral TEER in the United States from 2014 to 2018 were identified in the Nationwide Readmission Database. Patient characteristics, cause-specific readmission, and costs of the index hospitalization and readmissions were analyzed. Costs were trended over years using general linear regression.A total of 10,196 patients underwent mitral TEER during the study period. Thirty-day readmissions were stable over time at around 16%. The mean length of stay following TEER decreased from 7 days in 2014 to 5 days in 2018. There was a significant decline in the cost of the index hospitalization of $1311 per year, and a significant decline in the total 30-day cost of $1588 per year (p 0.001). This was strictly due to a reduction in the cost of the index hospitalization without a change in readmission costs over time (p = 0.23). Infectious causes of readmissions significantly decreased while total cardiovascular readmissions, including heart failure, remained constant.The decreasing 30-day cost burden of TEER is primarily driven by the shorter index length of stay, as experience in TEER has grown and, length of stay has declined. However, cardiovascular readmissions, and consequently readmission costs, have remained steady.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) but there is conflicting evidence on whether AF impacts outcomes after TAVR. Methods: Hospitalizations of adults ≥50 years old who had undergone elective TAVR from 2012 to 2015 were included. Poisson regression was used to assess changes in in-hospital complications, average length of stay (LOS) after TAVR, and discharge disposition over time. Multivariable logistic, linear, and generalized logistic regression models, adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, were used to estimate the effect of AF on inpatient outcomes. Results: A total of 7,266 TAVR hospitalizations were included; AF was present in 44% of patients. Between 2012 and 2015, there was a significant decrease in the incidence of acute kidney injury, blood transfusion, average LOS, and inpatient mortality both for AF and non-AF patients. However, the incidences of vascular complications and major bleeding decreased only among non-AF patients. After adjustment, AF was associated with increased incidences of TIA/stroke (OR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.85), acute kidney injury (OR 1.54, 95% CI: 1.33, 1.78), blood transfusion (OR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.30), transfer to a skilled nursing facility (OR 1.38, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.55), and longer average LOS (CIE 1.30, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.54). AF was not associated with inpatient mortality (OR 1.09, 95% CI: 0.81, 1.48). Conclusions: AF is prevalent among patients undergoing TAVR, and is associated with higher incidences of inpatient complications, discharge to a skilled nursing facility, and longer average LOS. While the incidence of many complications has declined in the past few years, continued efforts to further reduce complications in patients with AF is urgently required for expansion of TAVR to broader populations.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of remifentanil versus propofol for sedation during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures to analyze the risk of sedation related hypoxemia and hypotension. Secondary outcomes included the rate of conversion to general anesthesia, procedure length, rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ICU and hospital length of stay, and thirty-day mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A single tertiary teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and fifty nine patients who had propofol or remifentanil sedation for TAVR between March 2017 and March 2020. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 130 patients (50.2%) in the propofol cohort and 129 patients (49.8%) in the remifentanil cohort. The primary outcomes were oxygen saturation nadir values and vasopressor infusion use. Remifentanil was associated with a lower oxygen saturation nadir, as compared to propofol (91.3% vs. 95.4%, p < 0.001). Risk factors associated with hypoxemia (defined as < 92%) were body mass index (p = 0.0004), obstructive sleep apnea (p = 0.004), and remifentanil maintenance (p < 0.001). Vasopressor infusion use was significantly higher with propofol (64.9% vs. 8.5%, p < 0.001). Propofol maintenance and ACEi/ARB use were the only variables identified as risk factors for vasopressor use (p < 0.001 and p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: For patients undergoing TAVR with conscious sedation, remifentanil was associated with more hypoxemia while propofol was associated with a higher rate of vasopressor use.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the prevalence and prognostic significance of mitral regurgitation (MR) in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients. BACKGROUND: Few studies characterize the burden of MR in heart failure. METHODS: The ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study surveilled ADHF hospitalizations for residents ≥55 years of age in 4 U.S. communities. ADHF cases were stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)

Introduction: Hospital length of stay with transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVRs) has decreased, though the rate of heart block requiring permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation after TAVR has remained steady. It is unknown whether more patients are being readmitted for PPM after discharge from TAVR. Objective: To explore frequency, timing, and risk factors for PPM implant after TAVR in a nationally representative database. Methods: Patients who underwent TAVR from January 2012 through December 2017 were identified in the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). Smoothing splines and logistic regression were used to analyze trends in length of stay and timing of PPM implantation after TAVR respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for overall, early (during index hospitalization), and late (during subsequent hospitalization) PPM after TAVR. Results: Of the 62,083 included, 6,817 (11.0%) underwent PPM implantation [6,137 (9.9%) early and 680 (1.1%) late]. Rates of PPM remained stable between 8% and 12.5% with an increasing proportion occurring late (7% in 2012 increasing to 13% in 2017, p < 0.0001 for trend) (Figure 1). Late PPM was associated with atrial fibrillation (p < 0.01), diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), chronic kidney disease (p < 0.05), second degree AVB (p < 0.001), left bundle branch block (p < 0.001), right bundle branch block (p < 0.001), and bifascicular block (p < 0.001). Conclusions: There has been a significant increase in the proportion of patients requiring readmission for PPM implantation after TAVR. As this high-risk population grows, algorithms for extended in-hospital observation or ambulatory cardiac monitoring post-TAVR are needed to reduce the risk for adverse events.

Background Hospital readmissions following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are associated with higher costs and worse outcomes. Purpose Identify causes and risk factors for readmissions after TAVR Methods Hospitalizations of adults aged ≥50, with aortic stenosis and undergoing elective TAVR between 2012 and 2016 in the National Readmission Database were analyzed. Multivariable generalized logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, Charleson Comorbidity Index, primary insurance type, median household income, hospital type and size, were used to assess the effect of inpatient complications, length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, and TAVR hospital volume on 30-day cardiovascular (CV) and non-cardiovascular (non-CV) readmission. Results Between January 2012 and November 2016, 56,858 weighted TAVR hospitalizations were included. The most common causes of readmissions after TAVR were heart failure (23%), infection (17%), gastrointestinal (11%), respiratory (8%), and “other” non-CV causes (8%). The adjusted odds of both CV and non-CV readmissions were significantly higher in patients with acute kidney injury, inpatient LOS ≥5 days, those discharged to skilled nursing facility (SNF) and those treated at medium volume compared with high volume hospitals, Table 1. Conclusion Heart failure is the most common cause of readmissions after TAVR. Inpatient incidence of acute kidney injury, as well as longer LOS, SNF discharge and lower hospital TAVR volume were associated with higher odds of 30-day readmissions. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Background Although readmissions after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) were frequent in initial experiences, it is unknown if the incidence of readmission has changed with technological advances and other factors. Purpose Assess temporal trends in 30-day readmission after TAVR Methods Hospitalizations of adults aged ≥50, with aortic stenosis and undergoing elective TAVR or SAVR between 2012 and 2016 in the National Readmission Database were analyzed. Causes of 30-day readmission were classified as cardiovascular (CV) and non-cardiovascular (non-CV). Poisson regression was used to assess quarterly trends in TAVR and SAVR readmissions. Results Overall, 29,031 TAVR and 72,412 SAVR hospitalizations were included (weighted N 56,858 TAVR and 151,899 SAVR), and 14% were readmitted within 30-days (TAVR: 15%; SAVR: 13%). Of all the readmissions, 38% were cardiovascular (TAVR: 35%; SAVR: 40%). Between January 2012 and November 2016, the incidence of overall 30-day readmission significantly declined from 20% to 13% (CIE −0.13, 95% CI: −0.13, −0.13, p Conclusion Readmissions after TAVR have declined over the last several years, likely due to improvements in technology and operator experience, greater attention to comorbidities, and reductions in inpatient complications. More work is needed to reduce further inpatient complications and the incidence of readmission. Figure 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

As transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) continues its rapid growth as a treatment approach for aortic stenosis, costs associated with TAVI, and its burden to healthcare systems will assume greater importance. Patients undergoing TAVI between January 2012 and November 2017 in the Nationwide Readmission Database were identified. Trends in cause-specific readmissions were assessed using Poisson regression. Thirty-day TAVI cost burden (cost of index TAVI hospitalization plus total 30-day readmissions cost) was adjusted to 2017 U.S. dollars and trended over year from 2012 to 2017. Overall, 47,255 TAVI were included and 30-day readmissions declined from 20% to 12% (p0.0001). Most common causes of readmission (heart failure, infection/sepsis, gastrointestinal causes, and respiratory) declined as well, except arrhythmia/heart block which increased (1.0% to 1.4%, p0.0001). Cost of TAVI hospitalization ($52,024 to $44,110, p0.0001) and 30-day cost burden ($54,122 to $45,252, p0.0001) declined. Whereas costs of an average readmission did not change ($9,734 to $10,068, p = 0.06), cost burden of readmissions (per every TAVI performed) declined ($4,061 to $1,883, p0.0001), including reductions in each of the top 5 causes except arrhythmia/heart block ($171 to $263, p = 0.04). Index TAVI hospitalizations complicated by acute kidney injury, length of stay ≥5 days, low hospital procedural volume, and skilled nursing facility discharge were associated with increased odds of 30-day readmissions. In conclusion, the costs of index hospitalizations and 30-day cost burden for TAVI in the U.S. significantly declined from 2012 to 2017. However, readmissions due to arrhythmia/heart block and their associated costs increased. Continued strategies to prevent readmissions, especially those for conduction disturbances, are crucial in the efforts to optimize outcomes and costs with the ongoing expansion of TAVI.

Objectives The aim of this study was to compare 1-year outcomes following transcatheter mitral valve (MV) repair in patients with and without atrial fibrillation (AF). Background The development of AF in degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) is considered a sign of MR progression and is associated with adverse clinical events. However, the impact of AF in patients undergoing transcatheter MV repair remains uncertain. Methods The TVT (Transcatheter Valve Therapy) Registry was used to identify patients undergoing transcatheter MV repair with the MitraClip between November 2013 and June 2016. Using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services–linked data, the 1-year rate of death, heart failure hospitalization, stroke, and bleeding following transcatheter MV repair was compared in patients with and without AF. Outcomes were analyzed using multivariate Cox regression modeling. Results A total of 5,613 patients underwent commercial transcatheter MV repair in the United States during the study period, including 3,555 (63%) with pre-existing AF. Compared with patients without AF, patients with AF were older, were more likely to be male and Caucasian, had more comorbidities, and had higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality scores (median 7% vs. 5%; p Conclusions In patients undergoing transcatheter MV repair, AF is common and is associated with worse clinical outcomes at 1 year despite similar acute procedural success. Further study is needed to investigate if early treatment of MR reduces the future risk for developing AF and to identify therapies that improve outcomes in these patients.

To identify associations with either early or late permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in order to develop an easily interpretable management algorithm.Injury to the conduction system after TAVR occasionally requires PPM. There is limited data on how to identify which patients will require PPM, particularly after discharge from index hospitalization after TAVR.All patients having undergone TAVR at the University of North Carolina through August 2019 were identified and records were manually reviewed. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify associations with post-TAVR PPM due to high-degree atrioventricular block (HAVB). Comparisons were made between patients with no PPM (n = 304) and PPM required, stratified into early (during index hospitalization, n = 32) and late (during subsequent hospitalization, n = 11) PPM cohorts.Of the 347 patents included for analysis, 43 (12.4%) underwent post-TAVR PPM. In multivariable regression models, early PPM was associated with baseline bifascicular block (OR: 42.16; p .001), requiring any pacing on first post-TAVR electrocardiogram (ECG) (OR: 31.55; p .001), and valve oversizing15% (OR: 3.61; p .05). Late PPM was associated with baseline right bundle branch block (RBBB) (OR 12.62; p .001) and history of atrial fibrillation/flutter (OR 4.83; p .05).Bifascicular block, any pacing on first post-TAVR ECG, and15% valve oversizing are associated with early PPM, while RBBB and history of atrial fibrillation/flutter are associated with late PPM. We suggest a management strategy for post-TAVR surveillance and management of HAVB.

Objectives: Cardiac amyloidosis is an underdiagnosed cause of heart failure (HF). We investigated the prevalence and impact of amyloidosis in HF. Methods: All hospitalizations for primary diagnosis of HF between January 1, 2010, and August 31, 2015 were identified in the National Readmission Database (NRD). Of these, hospitalizations with amyloidosis were matched in a 3:1 fashion to hospitalizations without amyloidosis using the year of admission, discharge quarter, age, sex, and Charlson comorbidity index. Primary outcomes of interest were inpatient mortality and 30-day readmission. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the association of HF with amyloidosis with adverse clinical outcomes. Results: Overall, 2,846 (0.2%) hospitalizations had HF with amyloidosis. Hospitalizations for HF with amyloidosis had a higher prevalence of renal disease (56% vs. 45%), atrial fibrillation (48% vs 42%) and malignancy (20% vs 4%) as compared with HF without amyloidosis. In adjusted analyses, HF with amyloidosis had higher odds of in-hospital mortality (6% vs. 3%; OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.28, 2.00), 30-day readmission (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06, 1.32), and longer length of stay (CIE 1.73, 95% CI 1.44, 2.03). Among the HF with amyloidosis group, there were similar incidences of CV and non-CV-related readmissions (48% and 52%, respectively), but HF was the most common primary readmission diagnosis, constituting 35% of all readmissions. The incidence of inpatient mortality and 30-day readmission did not change significantly over time during the study period for either HF hospitalizations with or without amyloidosis. Conclusion: In decompensated HF, presence of amyloidosis was associated with higher risk of inpatient mortality and 30-day readmission.

Objectives: Sex differences are known to exist in the management ofolder patients presenting with myocardial infarction (MI). Whether inpatient MI management, outcomes and readmissions differ by sex in young adults is not known. Methods: Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) was queried for hospitalizations with MI in adults between 18 and 50 years of age from October 2015 and November 2016 using ICD-10 CM codes. Hospitalizations with discharges in December were excluded as 30-day follow-up for these could not be completed in NRD. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between gender and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), coronary angiography, non-invasive testing, death and 30-day readmissions. ST-elevation MI (STEMI) subset was similarly analyzed. Results: Of 33,981 hospitalizations, 29% were females. Mean age was 43 years. STEMI constituted 13,177 hospitalizations with 22% females. As compared with men, women were more likely to have peripheral vascular disease (6% vs 4%), chronic pulmonary disease (17% vs 10%), diabetes mellitus (36% vs 28%); and less likely to have a prior history of MI (10% vs 12%). Women were less likely to undergo noninvasive testing (10% vs 11 %, p=0.002) and were revascularized less often than men with PCI (45% vs 56%, p Conclusion: In a large MI cohort, young women were less likely to undergo ischemic workup and be revascularized, and had higher odds of 30-day readmissions. Women had higher odds of mortality in STEMI

Background: Heart failure (HF) patients with aortic stenosis (AS) constitute a high-risk population posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Few studies have characterized the burden of AS in patients admitted with acute decompensated HF (ADHF), stratified by ejection fraction (EF). Methods: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study conducted community-based surveillance of a random sample of ADHF hospitalizations for residents ≥55 years of age in four US communities. ADHF cases were subclassified as having reduced (HFrEF) or preserved (HFpEF) EF using a 50% cutoff. AS severity was determined from echocardiogram reports obtained during abstracted hospitalizations. Odds of moderate or severe AS in patients with varying sex and race, and odds of all-cause 1-year mortality in those with higher AS severity were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Results: From 2005-2014, there were 14,289 weighted ADHF hospitalizations of whom 7,357 had HFrEF (45.0% female, 36.6% black) and 6,932 HFpEF (62.9% female, 26.5% black). The prevalence of moderate or severe AS was 5.67% in HFrEF and 9.43% in HFpEF. Patients with higher AS severity were older than those with none or mild AS in both HFrEF ([mean age] 79.7 vs. 74.4 years, p Conclusion: In ADHF patients with HFrEF or HFpEF, whites are more affected by AS than blacks, as are older patients when compared to their younger counterparts. Higher AS severity in ADHF patients is independently associated with all-cause mortality at 1 year after hospitalization, regardless of EF.

Patients with calcific aortic stenosis (AS) often have diffuse cardiac calcification involving the mitral valve apparatus and coronary arteries. We examined the association between global cardiac calcification quantified by a previously validated echocardiographic calcium score (eCS) with the severity of mitral stenosis (MS) and coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with a clinical diagnosis of severe calcific AS. In this sample of 147 patients (mean age 81 ± 9 years, 50% male), 81 patients (55%) were determined by echocardiography to have some degree of MS. Higher mean eCS was observed in patients with more severe MS (r = 0.54, p 0.0001). Higher eCS was also inversely associated with mitral valve area (r = -0.31, p = 0.001) and positively associated with mitral valve mean pressure gradient (r = 0.46, p 0.0001) and mitral valve peak flow velocity (r = 0.55, p 0.0001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for using eCS to predict the presence of MS was 0.76. An eCS ≥ 8 predicted MS with a sensitivity of 68%, specificity of 76%, positive predictive value of 77%, and negative predictive value of 66%. High eCS, relative to low eCS, was associated with 2.70 times the adjusted odds of CAD (odds ratio = 2.70, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 7.17). In conclusion, global cardiac calcification is associated with MS and CAD in patients with severe calcific AS, and eCS shows ability to predict the presence of MS. This study suggests that a simple eCS may be used as part of a risk-stratification tool in patients with severe calcific aortic valve stenosis.

Background The results from the PARTNER 2 trial showed the feasibility of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in intermediate surgical risk patients. Although low risk clinical trials will take time to conclude, some data has emerged comparing TAVR with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in lower risk patients. Methods A Medline search was conducted using standard methodology to search for studies reporting results comparing TAVR and SAVR. Studies were included if the overall mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score was less than 4% (or equivalent Euroscore). A meta-analysis comparing the 30-day risk of clinical outcomes between TAVR and SAVR in the lower surgical risk population was conducted. Results A total of four studies, including one clinical trial and three propensity-matched cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. Compared to SAVR, TAVR had a lower risk of 30-day mortality (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.41, 1.10), stroke (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.30, 1.22), bleeding complications (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.40, 0.67) and acute kidney injury (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.47, 0.94). However, a higher risk of vascular complications (RR 11.72, 95% CI 3.75, 36.64), moderate or severe paravalvular leak (RR 5.04, 95% CI 3.01, 8.43), and permanent pacemaker implantations (RR 4.62, 95% CI 2.63, 8.12) was noted for TAVR. Conclusion Among lower risk patients, TAVR and SAVR appear to be comparable in short term outcomes. Additional high quality studies among patients classified as low risk are needed to further explore the feasibility of TAVR in all surgical risk patients.

Background: There is a higher prevalence of aortic stenosis (AS) in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and European ancestry. However, studies comparing AS progression in white and black patients in an advanced CKD population do not exist. Methods: Advanced CKD (stage IV–V) patients who were referred to the UNC Cardiorenal Clinic for pre-operative kidney transplant evaluation, and diagnosed with either AS (mild, moderate, or severe) or a left ventricular outflow tract velocity ≥2 m/s at any point between 2006–2016 were eligible for inclusion. Serial transthoracic echocardiograms over the 10-year period determined AS progression. All echocardiograms acquired after renal transplantation or aortic valve replacement were excluded. The rates of change of three indices of AS severity [mean gradient, aortic valve area (AVA), and aortic valve velocity] were compared between white and black patients. Mixed effects linear models with repeated measures were used to estimate the overall and race-stratified yearly rate of progression for each index, adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, dialysis, and baseline cholesterol. Results: Of 1,283 patients, 140 (34% white, 66% black) developed or had baseline AS. Initially, 81% had no AS, 13% had mild, and 6% had moderate. White patients were more likely to be male and less likely to be on hemodialysis compared to black patients. No differences in AS severity (P=0.55) or age (60 vs . 58 years, P=0.34) were seen at baseline. In white vs . black patients, mean gradient increased at 1.90 (95% CI: 0.79, 3.01) mmHg/year vs . 1.46 (95% CI, 0.79, 2.14) mmHg/year, P=0.20, AVA decreased at −0.10 (95% CI: −0.15, −0.05) m 2 /year vs . −0.08 (95% CI: −0.11, −0.05) m 2 /year, P=0.13, and transvalvular velocity increased at 0.11 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.18) m/s/year vs . 0.07 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.11) m/s/year, P=0.09. Conclusions: Compared to black patients, white patients in an advanced CKD cohort may have exhibited more rapid progression of AS. Ours is the first study to analyze racial differences in such a population. A study with a larger sample size is needed to confirm our findings.

Background: To study the impact of type of atrial fibrillation on outcomes following transcatheter mitral valve repair. The development of atrial fibrillation (AF) in degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) can be a sign of progression of MR and associated with adverse outcomes. However, the impact of type of AF in patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve (MV) repair remains uncertain. Methods: Patients 18 years or older who underwent TMVR procedure in 2016 and had a concurrent ICD-10 diagnosis of either paroxysmal or non-paroxysmal AF were included from Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD). The association between type of AF and mortality, stroke, readmission (cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular readmissions) and composite outcome (mortality, inpatient stroke or 30-day readmissions) was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Statistical Analysis System (SAS) software 9.4 was used to conduct the analysis. Results: A total of 913 (weighted N=1,750) TMVR hospitalizations from NRD for year 2016 were included. Of these, 510 (weighted N=995) patients had non-paroxysmal AF and 403 (weighted N=755) had paroxysmal AF. Patients with non-paroxysmal AF were older than paroxysmal AF (82.53 vs. 81.27; P=0.0004). As compared to paroxysmal AF, those with non-paroxysmal AF had comparable odds of composite outcome of stroke, readmission, or mortality (OR 1.31; 95% CI: 0.77–2.23), as well as stroke (OR 0.43; 95% CI: 0.10–1.78), or mortality (OR 0.54; 95% CI: 0.21–1.37), in patients undergoing TMVR. Similarly, no differences were noted in the odds of cardiac readmissions (OR 1.38; 95% CI: 0.83–2.28), non-cardiac readmissions (OR 0.80; 95% CI: 0.49–1.32) and discharge to skilled nursing/short term care (OR 1.24; 95% CI: 0.66–2.36) in those with non-paroxysmal vs. paroxysmal AF. Conclusions: Inpatient outcomes and readmissions were similar in patient with paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in this study. Future studies exploring the effect of type of atrial fibrillation on long term outcomes are needed.

Background: Myocardial contraction fraction (MCF), a volumetric measurement of myocardial shortening, may help to improve risk stratification in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) referred for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) especially in those with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We investigated the association between MCF and 1-year all-cause mortality in patients with severe AS who underwent TAVR. Methods: MCF was calculated as the ratio of stroke volume (SV) to myocardial volume. Patients referred for TAVR from 2011 to 2015 were eligible for inclusion and were divided into two groups according to the estimated MCF (MCF ≤30% vs. MCF >30%). The primary endpoint was 1-year all-cause mortality. A Cox regression analysis was performed for independent risk factors of mortality. Receiver operating curve (ROC) was performed for assessing the best cut-off point of MCF for predicting the primary outcome [area under the curve (AUC) 0.60; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.453–0.725]. Baseline patient and echo characteristics were included for multivariate analysis. Results: Of 126 patients (mean age 82±5 years, 45.2% male), 44.4% showed MCF ≤30%. Patient with reduced MCF showed higher body mass index (28.1±5.8 vs. 26.0±4.5 kg/m 2 , P=0.031), higher surgical EuroScore II (6.2±4.5 vs. 4.7±3.2, P=0.032), lower LVEF (54.2%±11.9% vs. 58.5%±10.8%, P=0.042) and more severe AS (indexed aortic valve area 0.40±0.09 vs. 0.45±0.10 cm 2 /m 2 , P=0.030). The median follow-up was of 14 [3.5–33] months, and 16% of patients died. Patients with MCF ≤30% showed significantly increased all-cause mortality (Log-rank P=0.002). In a multivariate model adjusting for clinical and echo variables, MCF ≤30% was independently associated with increased risk for all-cause 1-year mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2.76, 95% CI: 1.03–7.77, P=0.04]. Conclusions: In a population of patients undergoing TAVR, MCF ≤30% was independently associated with increased mortality.

Background Patients with cancer and severe aortic stenosis are often ineligible for surgical aortic valve replacement ( SAVR ). Patients with cancer may likely benefit from emerging transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ), given its minimally invasive nature. Methods and Results The US ‐based National Inpatient Sample was queried between 2012 and 2015 using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification ( ICD‐9‐CM ), codes to identify all hospitalized adults (aged ≥50 years), who had a primary diagnosis of aortic stenosis. We examined the effect modification of cancer on the relative use rate, outcomes, and dispositions associated with propensity‐matched cohort TAVR versus SAVR . Overall, 47 295 TAVRs (22.6% comorbid cancer) and 113 405 SAVRs (15.2% comorbid cancer) were performed among admissions with aortic stenosis between 2012 and 2015. In the year 2015, patients with cancer saw relatively higher rates of TAVR use compared with SAVR (relative use rate TAVR versus relative use rate SAVR , 67.8% versus 57.2%; P TAVR was associated with lower odds of acute kidney injury (odds ratio, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.54–0.75) and major bleeding (odds ratio, 0.44; 95% CI , 0.38–0.51]), with no differences in in‐hospital mortality and stroke compared with SAVR . In addition, TAVR was associated with higher odds of home discharge (odds ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.68–2.19) compared with SAVR among patients with cancer. Lower risk of acute kidney injury was noted in cancer versus noncancer ( P TAVR versus SAVR in effect modification analysis. Conclusions TAVR use has increased irrespective of cancer status, with a greater increase in cancer versus noncancer. In patients with cancer, there was an association of TAVR with lower periprocedural complications and better disposition when compared with patients undergoing SAVR .

Importance Cancer patients with severe AS are often ineligible for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an emerging non-invasive treatment option for severe AS. Cancer patients likely stand to benefit from TAVR given its non-invasive nature; however, there is a paucity of data regarding the comparative effectiveness of TAVR vs. SAVR in cancer. We sought to assess the relative utilization, outcomes, and dispositions associated with TAVR vs. SAVR in cancer and non-cancer patients. Methods The US-based National Inpatient Sample was queried between 2012 and 2015 using ICD-9 codes for adults>18 years with comorbid AS and cancer without metastatic disease. Multiple in-hospital and disposition outcomes were evaluated. Comparison of TAVR vs SAVR required propensity score estimation using demographic, socio-economic, comorbidity, and hospital specific variables. A standardized morbidity ratio (SMR) weight was calculated by assigning TAVR a weight of 1, and those undergoing SAVR weight of PS/(1-PS). SMR-weighted generalized logistic regression was conducted to estimate the average effect of TAVR compared with SAVR. Finally, the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel (CMH) test for propensity-matched data was utilized to compare the effect modification of cancer on these outcomes. Results A total of 979,912 out of 5,611,173 patients with AS were found to have non-metastatic cancer (17.5%). Average Elixhauser's mortality score of patients undergoing TAVR and SAVR was 8.9 vs. 8.1 and 8.5 vs. 7.1 for cancer vs. non-cancer respectively (p Conclusions Compared to patients without cancer, the utilization of AVR in cancer patients has steadily increased. The benefits of TAVR over SAVR appear to extend to patients, regardless of cancer status. TAVR might be a more suitable procedure for cancer patients with AS.

The results of the EVEREST (Endovascular Valve Edge-to-Edge Repair Study) led to approval of transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) for patients with severe symptomatic degenerative mitral regurgitation at prohibitive risk of surgery [(1,2)][1]. Technological advancements and increasing operator