Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an effective treatment for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) in patients who are inoperable or at high risk for surgery. However, the ...intermediate- to long-term mortality is high, emphasizing the importance of patient selection. We, therefore, sought to evaluate the prognostic value of frailty in older recipients of TAVR, hypothesizing that frail patients would experience a higher mortality rate and a higher likelihood of poor outcome 1 year after TAVR. This substudy of the Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves trial was conducted at 3 high-enrolling sites where frailty was assessed systematically before TAVR. In total, 244 patients received TAVR at the participating sites. Frailty was assessed using a composite of 4 markers (serum albumin, dominant handgrip strength, gait speed, and Katz activity of daily living survey), which were combined into a frailty score. The cohort was dichotomized at median frailty score. Outcomes measures were the time to death from any cause for >1 year of follow-up and poor outcome at 1 year. Poor outcome was defined as (1) death, (2) Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall summary (KCCQ-OS) score <60, or (3) decrease of ≥10 points in the KCCQ-OS score from baseline to 1 year. At 1 year, the Kaplan-Meier–estimated all-cause mortality rate was 32.7% in the frail group and 15.9% in the nonfrail group (log-rank p = 0.004). At 1 year, poor outcome occurred in 50.0% of the frail group and 31.5% of the nonfrail group (p = 0.02). In conclusion, frailty was associated with increased mortality and a higher rate of poor outcome 1 year after TAVR.
Abstract Background The incidence, predictors, and prognostic impact of post-discharge bleeding (PDB) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation are ...unclear. Objectives This study sought to characterize the determinants and consequences of PDB after PCI. Methods The prospective ADAPT-DES (Assessment of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy With Drug-Eluting Stents) study was used to determine the incidence and predictors of clinically relevant bleeding events occurring within 2 years after hospital discharge. The effect of PDB on subsequent 2-year all-cause mortality was estimated by time-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Among 8,582 “all-comers” who underwent successful PCI with DES in the ADAPT-DES study, PDB occurred in 535 of 8,577 hospital survivors (6.2%) at a median time of 300 days (interquartile range: 130 to 509 days) post-discharge. Gastrointestinal bleeding (61.7%) was the most frequent source of PDB. Predictors of PDB included older age, lower baseline hemoglobin, lower platelet reactivity on clopidogrel, and use of chronic oral anticoagulation therapy. PDB was associated with higher crude rates of all-cause mortality (13.0% vs. 3.2%; p < 0.0001). Following multivariable adjustment, PDB was strongly associated with 2-year mortality (hazard ratio HR: 5.03; p < 0.0001), with an effect size greater than that of post-discharge myocardial infarction (PDMI) (HR: 1.92; p = 0.009). Conclusions After successful PCI with DES in an unrestricted patient population, PDB is not uncommon and has a strong relationship with subsequent all-cause mortality, greater that that associated with PDMI. Efforts to reduce PDB may further improve prognosis after successful DES implantation. (Assessment of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy With Drug-Eluting Stents ADAPT-DES; NCT00638794 )
A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, ...American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Failure Society of America, Heart Rhythm Society, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons Technical Panel Pamela S. Douglas, MD, MACC, FAHA, FASE, Moderator Manesh R. Patel, MD, FACC, Writing Group Liaison Steven R. Bailey, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FAHA, Writing Group Liaison Philip Altus, MD, MACPdaggerAmerican College of Physicians Representative Denise D. Barnard, MD, FACCdouble daggerHeart Failure Society of America Representative James C. Blankenship, MD, MACC, FSCAI* Donald E. Casey, Jr, MD, MPH, MBA, FACP, FAHAdagger Larry S. Dean, MD, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI* Reza Fazel, MD, MSc, FACC§American Society of Nuclear Cardiology Representative Ian C. Gilchrist, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FCCM||Society of Critical Care Medicine Representative Clifford J. Kavinsky, MD, PhD, FACC, FSCAI* Susan G. Lakoski, MD, MS¶American Heart Association Representative D. Elizabeth Le, MD, FACC, FASE#American Society of Echocardiography Representative John R. Lesser, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FSCCT**Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Representative Glenn N. Levine, MD, FACC, FAHAdaggerdaggerSociety for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Representative Roxana Mehran, MD, FACC, FACP, FCCP, FESC, FAHA, FSCAIdouble daggerdouble daggerAmerican College of Cardiology Foundation Representative Andrea M. Russo, MD, FACC, FHRS§§Heart Rhythm Society Representative Matthew J. Sorrentino, MD, FACCdouble daggerdouble dagger Mathew R. Williams, MD, FACC|||American Association for Thoracic Surgery/Society of Thoracic Surgeons Representative John B. Wong, MD, FACPdouble daggerdouble dagger Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force Michael J. Wolk, MD, MACC, Chair Steven R. Bailey, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FAHA Pamela S. Douglas, MD, MACC, FAHA, FASE Robert C. Hendel, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASNC Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC, FAHA James K. Min, MD, FACC Manesh R. Patel, MD, FACC Leslee Shaw, PhD, FACC, FASNC Raymond F. Stainback, MD, FACC, FASE Joseph M. Allen, MA Table of Contents Abstract... Preface In an effort to respond to the need for the rational use of cardiovascular services, including imaging and invasive procedures in the delivery of high-quality care, the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) in collaboration with other professional organizations has undertaken a process to determine the appropriate use of cardiovascular procedures for selected patient indications.
Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a P2Y12 receptor blocker is a key strategy to reduce platelet reactivity and to prevent thrombotic events in patients treated with percutaneous coronary ...intervention. In an earlier consensus document, we proposed cutoff values for high on-treatment platelet reactivity to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) associated with post–percutaneous coronary intervention ischemic events for various platelet function tests (PFTs). Updated American and European practice guidelines have issued a Class IIb recommendation for PFT to facilitate the choice of P2Y12 receptor inhibitor in selected high-risk patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, although routine testing is not recommended (Class III). Accumulated data from large studies underscore the importance of high on-treatment platelet reactivity to ADP as a prognostic risk factor. Recent prospective randomized trials of PFT did not demonstrate clinical benefit, thus questioning whether treatment modification based on the results of current PFT platforms can actually influence outcomes. However, there are major limitations associated with these randomized trials. In addition, recent data suggest that low on-treatment platelet reactivity to ADP is associated with a higher risk of bleeding. Therefore, a therapeutic window concept has been proposed for P2Y12 inhibitor therapy. In this updated consensus document, we review the available evidence addressing the relation of platelet reactivity to thrombotic and bleeding events. In addition, we propose cutoff values for high and low on-treatment platelet reactivity to ADP that might be used in future investigations of personalized antiplatelet therapy.
Objectives This study sought to identify the incidence, predictors, and prognostic impact of bleeding complications (BC) after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) compared with transcatheter ...aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Background Bleeding complications after SAVR and TAVR are frequent and may be associated with an unfavorable prognosis. Methods In the randomized controlled PARTNER (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valve) I trial, 657 patients from cohort A (operable high risk) were randomly assigned to SAVR or TAVR (transfemoral TF if iliofemoral access was suitable or transapical TA if not) and received the designated treatment. First-generation Edwards SAPIEN valves and delivery systems (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) were used for TAVR, through a 22- or 24-F sheath. The 30-day rates of major BC (modified Valve Academic Research Consortium definitions), predictors of BC, and their association with 1-year mortality were assessed. Results A total of 71 (22.7%), 27 (11.3%), and 9 (8.8%) patients had major BC within 30 days of the procedure after SAVR, TF-TAVR, and TA-TAVR, respectively (p < 0.0001). SAVR was associated with a significantly higher 30-day rate of transfusion (17.9%) than either TF-TAVR (7.1%) or TA-TAVR (4.8%; p < 0.0001). Independent predictors of major BC were the occurrence of major vascular complications and use of intraprocedural hemodynamic support among TF-TAVR patients, severe procedural complications requiring conversion to open surgery among TA-TAVR patients, and the presence of low hemoglobin at baseline among SAVR patients. Major BC was identified as the strongest independent predictor of 1-year mortality among the full cohort. However, risk-adjusted analyses demonstrated a significant interaction between BC and treatment strategy with respect to mortality, suggesting that BC after SAVR have a greater impact on prognosis than after TAVR. Conclusions Among high-risk aortic stenosis patients enrolled in the PARTNER I randomized trial, BC were more common after SAVR than after TAVR and were also associated with a worse long-term prognosis. (THE PARTNER TRIAL: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valve Trial; NCT00530894 )
Objectives This study sought to examine the diagnostic accuracy of the instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) and resting distal coronary artery pressure/aortic pressure (P d /P a ) with respect to ...hyperemic fractional flow reserve (FFR) in a core laboratory–based multicenter collaborative study. Background FFR is an index of the severity of coronary stenosis that has been clinically validated in 3 prospective randomized trials. iFR and P d /P a are nonhyperemic pressure-derived indices of the severity of stenosis with discordant reports regarding their accuracy with respect to FFR. Methods iFR, resting P d /P a , and FFR were measured in 1,768 patients from 15 clinical sites. An independent physiology core laboratory performed blinded off-line analysis of all raw data. The primary objectives were to determine specific iFR and P d /P a thresholds with ≥90% accuracy in predicting ischemic versus nonischemic FFR (on the basis of an FFR cut point of 0.80) and the proportion of patients falling beyond those thresholds. Results Of 1,974 submitted lesions, 381 (19.3%) were excluded because of suboptimal acquisition, leaving 1,593 for final analysis. On receiver-operating characteristic analysis, the optimal iFR cut point for FFR ≤0.80 was 0.90 (C statistic: 0.81 95% confidence interval: 0.79 to 0.83; overall accuracy: 80.4%) and for P d /P a was 0.92 (C statistic: 0.82 95% confidence interval: 0.80 to 0.84; overall accuracy: 81.5%), with no significant difference between these resting measures. iFR and P d /P a had ≥90% accuracy to predict a positive or negative FFR in 64.9% (62.6% to 67.3%) and 48.3% (45.6% to 50.5%) of lesions, respectively. Conclusions This comprehensive core laboratory analysis comparing iFR and P d /P a with FFR demonstrated an overall accuracy of ∼80% for both nonhyperemic indices, which can be improved to ≥90% in a subset of lesions. Clinical outcome studies are required to determine whether the use of iFR or P d /P a might obviate the need for hyperemia in selected patients.
Abstract Background Although ischemic coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common etiology of heart failure (HF), the extent to which patients with new-onset HF actually undergo an ischemic ...work-up and/or revascularization is not well defined. Objectives This study sought to analyze the patterns of testing for ischemic CAD and revascularization in patients with new-onset HF. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using Truven Health MarketScan Commercial and Medicare databases from 2010 to 2013. The occurrence of noninvasive and invasive ischemic CAD testing and revascularization procedures were examined among patients with new inpatient HF diagnoses during the index hospitalization and within 90 days of admission. Results Among 67,161 patients identified with new-onset HF during an inpatient hospitalization, only 17.5% underwent testing for ischemic CAD during the index hospitalization, increasing to 27.4% at 90 days. Among patients with new-onset HF, only 2.1% underwent revascularization during the index hospitalization for HF; by 90 days, the revascularization rate had increased to 4.3%. Of the tests performed for ischemic CAD, stress testing (nuclear stress testing or stress echocardiography) was performed in 7.9% of new-onset HF patients during the index hospitalization (14.6% within 90 days), whereas coronary angiography was performed in 11.1% of patients during the index hospitalization (16.5% within 90 days). In adjusted analyses, HF patients carrying a baseline diagnosis of CAD had greater odds of noninvasive ischemic testing (odds ratio: 1.25; 95% confidence interval: 1.17 to 1.33; p < 0.0001), as well as invasive ischemic testing (odds ratio: 1.93; 95% confidence interval: 1.83 to 2.05; p < 0.0001), at the index hospitalization than those without baseline CAD. Conclusions The majority of patients hospitalized for new-onset HF did not receive testing for ischemic CAD either during hospitalization or within 90 days, which suggests significant underutilization of ischemic CAD assessment in new-onset HF patients.
When transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) cannot be carried out through transfemoral access, alternative access TAVR is indicated. The purpose of this study was to explore inhospital and ...1-year outcomes of patients undergoing alternative access TAVR through the transapical (TA) or transaortic (TAo) techniques in the United States.
Clinical records of 4,953 patients undergoing TA (n = 4,085) or TAo (n = 868) TAVR from 2011 to 2014 in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry were linked to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services hospital claims. Inhospital and 1-year clinical outcomes were stratified by operative risk; and the risk-adjusted association between access route and mortality, stroke, and heart failure repeat hospitalization was explored.
Mean age for all patients was 82.8 ± 6.8 years. The median STS predicted risk of mortality was significantly higher among patients undergoing TAo (8.8 versus 7.4, p < 0.001). When compared with TA, TAo was associated with an increased risk of unadjusted 30-day mortality (10.3% versus 8.8%) and 1-year mortality (30.3% versus 25.6%, p = 0.006). There were no significant differences between TAo and TA for inhospital stroke rate (2.2%), major vascular complications (0.3%), and 1-year heart failure rehospitalizations (15.7%). Examination of high-risk and inoperable subgroups showed that 1-year mortality was significantly higher for TAo patients classified as inoperable (p = 0.012).
Patients undergoing TAo TAVR are older, more likely female, and have significantly higher STS predicted risk of mortality scores than patients operated on by TA access. There were no risk-adjusted differences between TA and TAo access in mortality, stroke, or readmission rates as long as 1 year after TAVR.
The most common causes of in-stent restenosis (ISR) are intimal hyperplasia and stent under expansion. The purpose of this study was to use intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to compare the ISR ...mechanisms of bare metal stents (BMS), first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES), and second-generation DES. There were 298 ISR lesions including 52 BMS, 73 sirolimus-eluting stents, 52 paclitaxel-eluting stents, 16 zotarolimus-eluting stents, and 105 everolimus-eluting stent. Mean patient age was 66.6 ± 1.1 years, 74.2% were men, and 48.3% had diabetes mellitus. BMS restenosis presented later (70.0 ± 66.7 months) with more intimal hyperplasia compared with DES (BMS 58.6 ± 15.5%, first-generation DES 52.6 ± 20.9%, second-generation DES 48.2 ± 22.2%, p = 0.02). Although reference lumen areas were similar in BMS and first- and second-generation DES, restenotic DES were longer (BMS 21.8 ± 13.5 mm, first-generation DES 29.4 ± 16.1 mm, second-generation DES 32.1 ± 18.7 mm, p = 0.003), and stent areas were smaller (BMS 7.2 ± 2.4 mm2 , first-generation DES 6.1 ± 2.1 mm2 , second-generation DES 5.7 ± 2.0 mm2 , p <0.001). Stent fracture was seen only in DES (first-generation DES 7 5.0%, second-generation DES 8 7.4%, p = 0.13). In conclusion, restenotic first- and second-generation DES were characterized by less neointimal hyperplasia, smaller stent areas, longer stent lengths, and more stent fractures than restenotic BMS.
Functional capacity as assessed by 6-minute walk test distance (6MWTD) has been shown to predict outcomes in selected cohorts with cardiovascular disease. To evaluate the association between 6MWTD ...and outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) among participants in the Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER valve (PARTNER) trial, TAVI recipients (n = 484) were stratified into 3 groups according to baseline 6MWTD: unable to walk (n = 218), slow walkers (n = 133), in whom 6MWTD was below the median (128.5 meters), and fast walkers (n = 133) with 6MWTD >128.5 meters. After TAVI, among fast walkers, follow-up 6MWTD decreased by 44 ± 148 meters at 12 months (p <0.02 compared with baseline). In contrast, among slow walkers, 6MWTD improved after TAVI by 58 ± 126 meters (p <0.001 compared with baseline). Similarly, among those unable to walk, 6MWTD distance increased by 66 ± 109 meters (p <0.001 compared with baseline). There were no differences in 30-day outcomes among 6MWTD groups. At 2 years, the rate of death from any cause was 42.5% in those unable to walk, 31.2% in slow walkers, and 28.8% in fast walkers (p = 0.02), driven primarily by differences in noncardiac death. In conclusion, among high-risk older adults undergoing TAVI, baseline 6MWTD does not predict procedural outcomes but does predict long-term mortality. Nonetheless, patients with poor baseline functional status exhibit the greatest improvement in 6MWTD. Additional work is required to identify those with poor functional status who stand to benefit the most from TAVI.