Background: The effect of the unique Japanese indication for MitraClip based on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is unclear. Methods and Results: We analyzed 874 patients who underwent ...MitraClip because of mitral regurgitation (MR) and compared the characteristics and outcomes between patients with LVEF <30% and ≥30%. Patients with LVEF ≤30% accounted for 33% of the study population and had a higher prevalence of functional MR. Severity of MR after MitraClip was comparable, and LVEF <30% did not independently affect survival. Conclusions: Japanese unique indication based on LVEF may exclude one third of patients who were treated with MitraClip in Europe.
Iatrogenic mitral stenosis following transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) for relevant mitral regurgitation (MR) is a potential adverse side-effect, known to affect long-term outcome. However, ...only few determinants of an elevated mean transmitral pressure gradient (TMPG) have been described thus far. We sought to develop an integrative model for the prediction of TMPG following MitraClip (MC) therapy. From 01/2013 to 03/2017, a total of 175 consecutive patients were successfully (MR ≤ 2 + at discharge) treated with a MitraClip implantation at our centre. Of these, a total of 148 patients (54% male, 77.0 ± 6.0 years, 58% with secondary MR) had complete echocardiographic data sets comprising pre- and postinterventional two- and three-dimensional transthoracic (TTE) and transoesophageal (TOE) echocardiograms. Comprehensive studies of predefined parameters were performed. An expert-based prediction model including preprocedural variables (annular ellipticity, mitral valve commissure-to-commissure diameter, preprocedural transmitral pressure gradient and MR aetiology) was set up and validated with a total of 200 bootstrap samples. A nomogram was developed to predict the postprocedural TMPG based on selected echocardiographic variables. Introduction of nomogram-based guiding of MC therapy could help identify patients at risk for postprocedural mitral stenosis, have an influence on preprocedural patient selection and intraprocedural decision making.
Abstract Objectives The goal of this study was to assess procedural details and outcomes of repeat MitraClip therapy. Background MitraClip implantation is a safe and efficacious percutaneous approach ...to treat significant mitral regurgitation (MR). Methods Of 410 inoperable or high surgical risk patients treated with the MitraClip at our institution, 17 (4.1%) patients, as well as 4 patients initially treated at external institutions, underwent repeat MitraClip procedures. Mean age of the 21 patients (14 men 67%) was 77 years; 15 patients (71%) had functional MR. Results Repeat procedures performed at a median of 6.3 months (range 0.7 to 34 months) after the index intervention were successful (discharge MR grade ≤2+) in 13 patients (62%), with a pronounced difference in success rate observed between the 13 patients with adequate leaflet insertion at the time of the repeat intervention and the 8 patients in whom loss of leaflet insertion (LLI) (leaflet tear/perforation or partial clip detachment) was present (11 of 13 85% vs. 2 of 8 25%, respectively). The 21 patients were followed for a median of 8.5 (interquartile range: 2.3 to 18.6) months; 13 patients (62%), 8 with adequate leaflet insertion and 5 with LLI, died during follow-up. Conclusions Repeat MitraClip intervention for significant recurrent MR appears to be a viable therapeutic approach in patients in whom leaflet insertion into the MitraClip is not compromised. LLI is strongly associated with repeat procedural failure.
Background
Histopathological analyses of debris captured by a cerebral protection system during transcatheter aortic valve replacement have been reported, but the origin of the captured debris was ...not determined and risk factors were not defined.
Methods and Results
Embolic debris was analyzed from 322 filters used in a dual‐cerebral‐filter protection system implemented during transcatheter aortic valve replacement for 161 patients (mean age 81 years, 82 male 51%, logistic EuroSCORE 19% interquartile range 12–31%). The debris capture rate was high, with debris from 97% of all patients (156 of 161). No differences by filter location were found (brachiocephalic trunk 86% 139 of 161, left carotid artery 91% 147 of 161; adjusted P=0.999). Five prevalent types of debris were identified: thrombus (91%), arterial wall tissue (68%), valve tissue (53%), calcification (46%), and foreign material (30%). Female sex (P=0.0287, odds ratio 1.364, 95% CI 1.032–1.812) and diabetes mellitus (P=0.0116, odds ratio 1.474, 95% CI 1.089–2.001) were significant risk factors for embolic debris. Additional analysis showed significantly more valve tissue in patients with predilation (P=0.0294). Stroke and transient ischemic attack rates were 0.6% each (1 of 161).
Conclusion
This study showed a high rate of embolic debris consisting of typical anatomic structures known to be altered in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Female patients with diabetes mellitus have increased risk of embolic debris and should be protected by a cerebral protection system during transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Because valve tissue embolizes more often in patients with predilation, procedural planning should consider this finding. Both cerebral arteries (brachiocephalic trunk, left carotid artery) should be protected in the same way.
Tricuspid regurgitation is associated with increased rates of heart failure (HF) and mortality. Transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions (TTVI) are promising, but the clinical benefit is unknown.
...The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential benefit of TTVI over medical therapy in a propensity score matched population.
The TriValve (Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Therapies) registry collected 472 patients from 22 European and North American centers who underwent TTVI from 2016 to 2018. A control cohort formed by 2 large retrospective registries enrolling medically managed patients with ≥ moderate tricuspid regurgitation in Europe and North America (n = 1,179) were propensity score 1:1 matched (distance ± 0.2 SD) using age, EuroSCORE II, and systolic pulmonary artery pressure. Survival was tested with Cox regression analysis. Primary endpoint was 1-year mortality or HF rehospitalization or the composite.
After matching, 268 adequately matched pairs of patients were identified. Compared with control subjects, TTVI patients had lower 1-year mortality (23 ± 3% vs. 36 ± 3%; p = 0.001), rehospitalization (26 ± 3% vs. 47 ± 3%; p < 0.0001), and composite endpoint (32 ± 4% vs. 49 ± 3%; p = 0.0003). TTVI was associated with greater survival and freedom from HF rehospitalization (hazard ratio HR: 0.60; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.46 to 0.79; p = 0.003 unadjusted), which remained significant after adjusting for sex, New York Heart Association functional class, right ventricular dysfunction, and atrial fibrillation (HR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.59; p < 0.0001) and after further adjustment for mitral regurgitation and pacemaker/defibrillator (HR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.23 to 0.54; p < 0.0001).
In this propensity-matched case-control study, TTVI is associated with greater survival and reduced HF rehospitalization compared with medical therapy alone. Randomized trials should be performed to confirm these results.
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The right ventricular (RV)-pulmonary arterial (PA) coupling ratio relates the efficiency with which RV stroke work is transferred into the PA. Lower ratios indicate an inadequate RV contractile ...response to increased afterload.
This study sought to evaluate the prognostic significance of RV-PA coupling in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR) who were undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve repair or replacement (TTVR).
The study investigators calculated RV-PA coupling ratios for patients enrolled in the global TriValve registry by dividing the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) by the PA systolic pressure (PASP) from transthoracic echocardiograms performed before the procedure and 30 days after the procedure. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 1-year follow-up.
Among 444 patients analyzed, their mean age was 76.9 ± 9.1 years, and 53.8% of the patients were female. The median TAPSE/PASP ratio was 0.406 mm/mm Hg (interquartile range: 0.308-0.567 mm/mm Hg). Sixty-three patients died within 1 year of TTVR, 21 with a TAPSE/PASP ratio >0.406 and 42 with a TAPSE/PASP ratio ≤0.406. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, a TAPSE/PASP ratio >0.406 vs ≤0.406 was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.35-0.93; P = 0.023). In 234 (52.7%) patients with echocardiograms 30 days after TTVR, a decline in RV-PA coupling was independently associated with reduced odds of all-cause mortality (odds ratio OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.19-0.93; P = 0.032). The magnitude of TR reduction after TTVR (≥1+ vs <1+; OR: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.06-6.03; P = 0.037) was independently associated with a reduction in post-TTVR RV-PA coupling.
RV-PA coupling is a powerful, independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with TR undergoing TTVR. These data suggest that the TAPSE/PASP ratio can inform patient selection and prognostication following TTVR.
The association of pulmonary hypertension (PH) with the outcome after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) focusing on the new ESC/ERS guidelines definition for PH.
PH is frequently ...found in patients with mitral regurgitation and is associated with lower survival rates. Recent studies were based on echocardiographic parameters, but results based on invasive haemodynamics differentiating distinct types of PH using the new definition for PH are missing.
449 consecutive M-TEER-treated patients from December 2009 to February 2015 were included in this retrospective analysis. All patients were stratified by the distinct types of PH (no PH, precapillary PH, isolated postcapillary PH, combined post-PH and precapillary PH) according to the definitions of the ESC/ERS guidelines for the diagnosis of PH from 2015 (meanPA cut-off <25 mm Hg, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) cut-off ≤15 mm Hg, diastolic pulmonary gradient cut-off ≥7 mm Hg or pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) >3 WU) and 2022 (meanPA cut-off ≤20 mm Hg, PCWP cut-off ≤15 mm Hg, PVR cut-off ≥3 WU).
Patients with any type of PH (2015: meanPA cut-off 25 mm Hg; 2022: meanPA cut-off >20 mm Hg) showed a higher risk of death after M-TEER compared with patients with no PH (2015: HR 1.61 (95% CI 1.25 to 2.07); p<0.001 and 2022: HR 2.09 (95% CI 1.54 to 2.83); p<0.001). Based on the new PH definition, each PH subgroup showed a lower survival after M-TEER compared with patients with no PH. Echocardiographic estimated systolic PAP showed a correlation with invasively measured mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) (r=0.29, p<0.001) and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (r=0.34,p<0.001). Cox-regression analysis showed higher invasive diastolic, systolic and mean pulmonary pressures were associated with higher all-cause mortality (p<0.001). In addition, invasive measured higher right atrial pressure, lower pulmonary arterial compliance, higher PVR and higher wedge pressure were identified as predictors of all-cause mortality after M-TEER.
The new PH definition discriminates PH groups and mortality better than the old definition. The lower threshold of mPAP of 20mmHg improved prognostication in this cohort of patients.
The objective of this study was to assess the results of catheter-based and surgical reinterventions in primary mitral regurgitation after failed MitraClip therapy. We report on 21 consecutive ...symptomatic patients with primary mitral regurgitation (median age 78 years) who underwent either repeat MitraClip therapy (n = 7) or mitral valve surgery (n = 14) after failure of the index procedure with 1-2 MitraClip implantations. At the time of reinterventions, 193 (interquartile range IQR: 32-622) days after the index procedure, patients had recurrent or persistent grade 3 mitral regurgitation. Early mortality at 30 days was 4.8%. Cardiac-related survival at 2 years was 85.4% (4 cardiac and 4 noncardiac deaths). Three of 7 patients with percutaneous reintervention were converted to surgery at 34, 52, and 56 days because repeat MitraClip therapy was ineffective because of pre-existing clip detachment or leaflet tear. Final therapy was biological mitral valve replacement in 14 of 21 patients (66.7%); 4 were treated with percutaneous repeat MitraClip repair (19%), and in 3 patients, surgical repairs were performed (14.3%). At follow-up with a median of 708 days, New York Heart Association class had improved significantly to class 2 (IQR: 1.0-2.5) (P = 0.0004), and the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter had decreased from 56 (IQR: 52-59) mm to 51 (48-58) mm (P = 0.0378), respectively. Recurrence of significant mitral regurgitation was absent in all but 1 patient with unsuccessful repeat MitraClip therapy who was deemed inoperable. Our data show that both repeat MitraClip and also mitral valve surgery are feasible and safe alternatives in patients without an excessively increased perioperative risk. We conclude that whenever leaflet insertion is not compromised, repeat catheter-based repair is a reasonable redo concept; in the remaining cases, surgery should be offered to the patient.