Objectives This study was designed to establish the incidence, impact, and predictors of post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) aortic regurgitation (AR). Background AR is an important ...limitation of TAVR with ill-defined predictors and unclear long-term impact on outcomes. Methods Studies published between 2002 and 2012 with regard to TAVR were identified using an electronic search and reviewed using the random-effects model of DerSimonian and Laird. From 3,871 initial citations, 45 studies reporting on 12,926 patients (CoreValve Medtronic CV Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Tolochenaz, Switzerland n = 5,261 and Edwards valve Edwards Lifesciences, Santa Ana, California n = 7,279) were included in the analysis of incidence and outcomes of post-TAVR AR. Results The pooled estimate for moderate or severe AR post-TAVR was 11.7% (95% confidence interval CI: 9.6 to 14.1). Moderate or severe AR was more common with use of the CoreValve (16.0% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.005). The presence of moderate or severe AR post-TAVR increased mortality at 30 days (odds ratio: 2.95; 95% CI: 1.73 to 5.02) and 1 year (hazard ratio: 2.27; 95% CI: −1.84 to 2.81). Mild AR was also associated with an increased hazard ratio for mortality, 1.829 (95% CI: 1.005 to 3.329) that was overturned by sensitivity analysis. Twenty-five studies reported on predictors of post-TAVR AR. Implantation depth, valve undersizing, and Agatston calcium score (r = 0.47, p = 0.001) were identified as important predictors. Conclusions Moderate or severe aortic regurgitation is common after TAVR and an adverse prognostic indicator of short- and long-term survival. Incidence of moderate or severe AR is higher with use of the CoreValve. Mild AR may be associated with increased long-term mortality. Therefore, every effort should be made to minimize AR by a comprehensive pre-procedural planning and meticulous procedural execution.
Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusions (CTO). Background Despite technical ...advancements, there is a paucity of data on long-term outcomes after PCI of CTO. Methods We evaluated long-term clinical outcomes in 1,791 patients who underwent PCI of 1,852 CTO at 3 tertiary care centers in the United States, South Korea, and Italy between 1998 and 2007. Median follow-up was 2.9 years (interquartile range: 1.5 to 4.6 years). Results Procedural success was obtained in 1,226 (68%) patients. Stents were implanted in 1,160 patients (95%); 396 patients (34%) received bare-metal stents (BMS), and 764 patients (66%) received drug-eluting stents (DES). After multivariable analysis, successful CTO PCI was an independent predictor of a lower cardiac mortality (hazard ratio HR: 0.40, 95% confidence interval CI: 0.21 to 0.75, p < 0.01) and reduced need for coronary artery bypass graft surgery (HR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.40, p < 0.01); it also correlated with a strong trend toward lower all-cause mortality (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.40 to 1.00, p = 0.05) at 5-year follow-up. Among patients who underwent stent implantation, treatment with DES rather than BMS resulted in less target vessel revascularization at long-term follow-up (17.2% vs. 31.1%, p < 0.01); definite/probable stent thrombosis rates were similar (DES 1.7%, BMS 2.3%, p = 0.58). Within the DES subgroup, patients treated with paclitaxel-eluting stents and sirolimus-eluting stents had similar clinical outcomes. Conclusions Successful CTO PCI is associated with reduced long-term cardiac mortality and need for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Treatment of CTO with DES rather than BMS is associated with a significant reduction in target vessel revascularization with similar rates of stent thrombosis. Paclitaxel-eluting stents and sirolimus-eluting stents had similar long-term safety and efficacy outcomes.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents is an accepted alternative to surgery for the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease, but the long-term ...outcome in elderly patients is unclear. Aim of our study was to compare the clinical outcomes of octogenarians with ULMCA disease treated either with PCI with drug-eluting stents or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The primary study end point was the composite of death, cerebrovascular accident, and myocardial infarction at follow-up. A total of 304 consecutive patients with ULMCA stenosis treated with PCI or CABG and aged ≥80 years were selected and analyzed in a large multinational registry. Two hundred eighteen were treated with PCI and 86 with CABG. During the hospitalization, a trend toward a higher mortality rate was reported in PCI-treated patients (3.5% vs 7.3%, p = 0.32). At a median follow-up of 1,088 days, the incidence of the primary end point was similar in the 2 groups (32.6% vs 30.2%, p = 0.69). Incidence of target vessel revascularization at follow-up was higher in PCI-treated patients (10% vs 4.2%, p = 0.05). At multivariate analysis, left ventricular ejection fraction was the only independent predictor of the primary end point (hazard ratio 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.91 to 0.98, p = 0.001). After adjustment with propensity score, the revascularization strategy was not significantly correlated to the incidence of the primary end point (hazard ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 1.71, p = 0.95). In octogenarians, no difference was observed in the occurrence of the primary end point after PCI or CABG for the treatment of ULMCA disease. However, the rate of target vessel revascularization was higher in the PCI group.
Objectives The purpose of this study is to compare the 5-year clinical outcomes, safety, and efficacy of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) in the ARTS II (Arterial Revascularization Therapies Study II) ...with the outcomes of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and bare-metal stenting (BMS) from the ARTS I. Background The long-term outcomes after SES implantation in patients with multivessel disease remains to be established. Methods The ARTS I was a randomized trial of 1,205 patients with multivessel disease comparing CABG and BMS. The ARTS II study was a nonrandomized trial with the Cypher sirolimus-eluting stent (Cordis, a Johnson & Johnson Company, Warren, New Jersey), applying the same inclusion and exclusion criteria, end points, and protocol definitions. The ARTS II trial enrolled 607 patients, with an attempt to enroll at least one-third of patients with 3-vessel disease. Results At 5-year, the death/stroke/myocardial infarction event-free survival rate was 87.1% in ARTS II SES, versus 86.0% (p = 0.1) and 81.9% (p = 0.007) in ARTS I CABG and BMS cohorts, respectively. The 5-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) rate in ARTS II (27.5%) was significantly higher than ARTS I CABG (21.1%, p = 0.02), and lower than in ARTS I BMS (41.5%, p < 0.001). The cumulative incidence of definite stent thrombosis was 3.8%. Thirty-two percent (56 of 176) of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 5 years were related to possible, probable, or definite stent thrombosis. Conclusions At 5 years, SES had a safety record comparable to CABG and superior to BMS, and a MACCE rate that was higher than in patients treated with CABG, and lower than in those treated with BMS. Approximately one-third of the events seen with SES could be prevented through the elimination of early, late, and very late stent thrombosis.
Objectives This study sought to analyze stroke rates in the SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) trial's randomized and registry cohorts of ...patients being treated with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for treatment of complex coronary artery disease. Background The SYNTAX trial compared PCI to CABG in patients with de novo 3-vessel and/or left main coronary disease. Methods The SYNTAX randomized trial was conducted at 85 U.S. and European sites (n = 1,800). All strokes (up to 4 years) were independently adjudicated by a clinical events committee that included a neurologist. An additional 1,077 (of which 644 were followed for 5 years) and 198 patients were included in the CABG and PCI registries, respectively. Results In the randomized cohort, 31 CABG and 19 PCI patients experienced 33 and 20 strokes post-randomization at 4-year follow-up, respectively (p = 0.062). Three strokes occurred pre-procedurally but following randomization in CABG-treated patients. After CABG, a large proportion of strokes occurred acutely (0 to 30 days: 9 of 33), whereas in the PCI arm, most strokes occurred >30 days after the procedure (18 of 20). Stroke resulted in death in 3 patients in both the PCI and CABG groups. Of the patients who developed stroke, 68% (21 of 31) in the CABG group had residual deficits at discharge; in the PCI group, 47% (9 of 19) had residual deficits. In a multivariate analysis, treatment with CABG was not significantly associated with increased stroke rates (odds ratio: 1.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.93 to 3.01, p = 0.089). The incidence and outcomes of stroke were similar in the randomized trial and registries. Conclusions There is a higher risk of periprocedural stroke in patients undergoing CABG versus PCI; however, the risk converges over the first 4 years of follow-up. (SYNTAX Study: TAXUS Drug-Eluting Stent Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for the Treatment of Narrowed Arteries; NCT00114972 )
Abstract Background Anticoagulation is required during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. Although an optimal regimen has not been determined, heparin is mainly used. Direct ...thrombin inhibition with bivalirudin may be an effective alternative to heparin as the procedural anticoagulant agent in this setting. Objectives The goal of this study was to determine whether bivalirudin offers an alternative to heparin as the procedural anticoagulant agent in patients undergoing TAVR. Methods A total of 802 patients with aortic stenosis were randomized to undergo transfemoral TAVR with bivalirudin versus unfractionated heparin during the procedure. The 2 primary endpoints were major bleeding within 48 h or before hospital discharge (whichever occurred first) and 30-day net adverse clinical events, defined as the combination of major adverse cardiovascular events (all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, or stroke) and major bleeding. Results Anticoagulation with bivalirudin versus heparin did not meet superiority because it did not result in significantly lower rates of major bleeding at 48 h (6.9% vs. 9.0%; relative risk: 0.77; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.48 to 1.23; p = 0.27) or net adverse cardiovascular events at 30 days (14.4% vs. 16.1%; relative risk: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.64 to 1.24; risk difference: –1.72; 95% CI: –6.70 to 3.25; p = 0.50); regarding the latter, the prespecified noninferiority hypothesis was met (pnoninferiority < 0.01). Rates of major adverse cardiovascular events at 48 h were not significantly different (3.5% vs. 4.8%; relative risk: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.37 to 1.43; p = 0.35). At 48 h, the bivalirudin group had significantly fewer myocardial infarctions but more acute kidney injury events than the heparin group; at 30 days, these differences were no longer significant. Conclusions In this randomized trial of TAVR procedural pharmacotherapy, bivalirudin did not reduce rates of major bleeding at 48 h or net adverse cardiovascular events within 30 days compared with heparin. Although superiority was not shown, the noninferiority hypothesis was met with respect to the latter factor. Given the lower cost, heparin should remain the standard of care, and bivalirudin can be an alternative anticoagulant option in patients unable to receive heparin in TAVR. (International, Multi-center, Open-label, Randomized Controlled Trial in Patients Undergoing TAVR to Determine the Treatment Effect Both Safety and Efficacy of Using Bivalirudin Instead of UFH BRAVO-2/3; NCT01651780 )
Objectives The aim of this study was to compare outcomes after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the Medtronic CoreValve (MCV) versus the Edwards SAPIEN/SAPIEN XT ...transcatheter heart valve (ESV) for severe aortic stenosis. Background No large matched comparison study has been conducted so far evaluating both commercially available devices. Methods The data from databases of 4 experienced European centers were pooled and analyzed. Due to differences in baseline clinical characteristics, propensity score matching was performed. Study objectives were Valve Academic Research Consortium outcomes at 30 days and 1 year. Results In total, 793 patients were included: 453 (57.1%) treated with the MCV and 340 (42.9%) with the ESV. After propensity matching, 204 patients were identified in each group. At 30 days, there were no differences in all-cause mortality (MCV, 8.8% vs. ESV, 6.4%; hazard ratio HR: 1.422; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.677 to 2.984; p = 0.352), cardiovascular mortality (MCV, 6.9% vs. ESV, 6.4%; HR: 1.083; 95% CI: 0.496 to 2.364; p = 0.842), myocardial infarction (MCV, 0.5% vs. ESV, 1.5%; HR: 0.330; 95% CI: 0.034 to 3.200; p = 0.339), stroke (MCV, 2.9% vs. ESV, 1.0%; HR: 3.061; 95% CI: 0.610 to 15.346; p = 0.174), or device success (MCV, 95.6% vs. ESV, 96.6%; HR: 0.770; 95% CI: 0.281 to 2.108; p = 0.611). Additionally, there were no differences in major vascular complications (MCV, 9.3% vs. ESV, 12.3%; HR: 0.735; 95% CI: 0.391 to 1.382; p = 0.340) or life-threatening bleeding (MCV, 13.7% vs. ESV, 8.8%; HR: 1.644; 95% CI: 0.878 to 3.077; p = 0.120). MCV was associated with more permanent pacemakers (22.5% vs. 5.9%; HR: 4.634; 95% CI: 2.373 to 9.050; p < 0.001). At 1 year, there were no differences in all-cause (MCV, 16.2% vs. ESV, 12.3%; HR: 1.374; 95% CI: 0.785 to 2.407; p = 0.266) or cardiovascular (MCV, 8.3% vs. ESV, 7.4%; HR: 1.145; 95% CI: 0.556 to 12.361; p = 0.713) mortality. Conclusions No differences between the 2 commercially available transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation devices were observed at the adjusted analysis in Valve Academic Research Consortium outcomes except for the need for permanent pacemakers with the MCV.
Abstract We discuss a case of transvenous lead extraction (TLE) in a patient with a large vegetation. To prevent embolization, a Dormia basket was placed in the pulmonary artery trunk. After ...uncomplicated TLE, the basket was withdrawn, and vegetation material was retrieved from it. Our experience confirms that TLE is feasible even with large vegetations, and the pulmonary circulation may be protected with a simple intravascular device.
Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an effective therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis at high risk for surgery. Identification of causes of death after ...TAVR may help improve patient selection and outcome. Methods We enrolled 874 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR at 3 centers using all approved bioprostheses and different access routes. Clinical outcomes during follow-up were defined according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 definitions. Causes of deaths were carefully investigated. Results Mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation was 23.5% ± 15.3%; Society of Thoracic Surgery score, 9.0% ± 8.2%. The Corevalve (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) was used in 41.3%; the Edwards Sapien (Edwards Lifesciences Inc., Irvine, CA) in 57.3%. Vascular access was transfemoral in 75.7%. In-hospital mortality was 5.0%. Cumulative mortality rates at 1 to 3 years were 12.4%, 23.4%, and 31.5%, respectively. Landmark analysis showed a significantly higher incidence of cardiovascular (CV) death in the first 6 months of follow-up and a significantly higher incidence of non-CV death thereafter. At Cox regression analysis, the independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were acute kidney injury grades 2 to 3 (hazard ratio HR 3.41) life-threatening bleeding (HR 4.26), major bleeding (HR 4.61), and myocardial infarction (HR 3.89). The independent predictors of postdischarge mortality were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR 1.48), left ventricular ejection fraction at discharge (HR 0.98), and glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min per 1.73 m2 (HR 1.64). Conclusions Around a third of patients treated with TAVR in daily practice die within the first 3 years of follow-up. Early mortality is predominantly CV, whereas late mortality is mainly non-CV, and it is often due to preexisting comorbidity.
Abstract Background It remains unclear whether radial access (RA), compared with femoral access (FA), mitigates the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). Objectives The authors assessed the incidence of ...AKI in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) enrolled in the MATRIX-Access (Minimizing Adverse Haemorrhagic Events by Transradial Access Site and Systemic Implementation of Angiox) trial. Methods Among 8,404 patients, 194 (2.3%) were excluded due to missing creatinine values, no or an incomplete coronary angiogram, or previous dialysis. The primary AKI-MATRIX endpoint was AKI, defined as an absolute (>0.5 mg/dl) or a relative (>25%) increase in serum creatinine (sCr). Results AKI occurred in 634 patients (15.4%) with RA and 712 patients (17.4%) with FA (odds ratio OR: 0.87; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.77 to 0.98; p = 0.0181). A >25% sCr increase was noted in 633 patients (15.4%) with RA and 710 patients (17.3%) with FA (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.77 to 0.98; p = 0.0195), whereas a >0.5 mg/dl absolute sCr increase occurred in 175 patients (4.3%) with RA versus 223 patients (5.4%) with FA (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.63 to 0.95; p = 0.0131). By implementing the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria, AKI was 3-fold less prevalent and trended lower with RA (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.70 to 1.03; p = 0.090), with stage 3 AKI occurring in 28 patients (0.68%) with RA versus 46 patients (1.12%) with FA (p = 0.0367). Post-intervention dialysis was needed in 6 patients (0.15%) with RA and 14 patients (0.34%) with FA (p = 0.0814). Stratified analyses suggested greater benefit with RA than FA in patients at greater risk for AKI. Conclusions In ACS patients who underwent invasive management, RA was associated with a reduced risk of AKI compared with FA. (Minimizing Adverse Haemorrhagic Events by TRansradial Access Site and Systemic Implementation of angioX MATRIX; NCT01433627 )
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