Acute kidney injury after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: predictors and prognostic impact from a single, high-volume centre

Abstract

Abstract Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a common complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), occurring in a variable proportion (from 10% to 30%) and being associated with an increased length of hospital stay and a 2- to 6-fold higher risk of mortality. Purpose We sought to identify pre-procedural and procedural variables independently associated with AKI and to analyze AKI impact on 1-month and 1-year all-cause mortality. Methods We prospectively collected consecutive patients undergoing TAVR at our centre. AKI was defined according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 criteria, as an increase of at least 0.3 mg/dL in serum creatinine or a urine output worsening (<0.5 mL/kg for <12 hours) occurring within 7 days after the procedure. Results From 664 consecutive TAVR conducted between January 2010 and December 2018 we excluded 19 (2.9%) patients for unsuccessful procedure according to VARC-2 criteria leading to a population of 645 patients. The mean follow-up was 9.6±4.3 months, age was 83.2±5.3, 270 (41.9%) were men. AKI complicated TAVR procedure in 141 (21.9%) patients. All-cause mortality occurred in 14 (2.2%) at 1-month and 51 (7.9%) patients at 1-year. AKI was more likely to complicate TAVR in patients who died within 1-month (4.7% vs. 0.8%, p=0.003) and 1-year (14.1% vs. 5.3%, p<0.001) follow-up period. Multivariable regression analysis showed that baseline creatinine (OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.20–1.78, p<0.001) and VARC-2 bleeding complications (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.04–2.12, p=0.029) were independently associated with AKI incidence, while non-significant covariates were: age, gender, contrast volume, use of self-expandable valve and peri-procedural rapid pacing. Multivariable analysis adjusted for age and sex showed that AKI (HR: 3.02, 95% CI: 1.03–8.90, p=0.045) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (HR: 4.12, 95% CI: 1.37–12.40, p=0.012) were independently associated with 1-month all-cause mortality. After 1 month, landmark analysis adjusted for age and sex showed that AKI (HR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.17–4.96, p=0.017) and peri-procedural myocardial injury (HR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.05–5.31, p=0.037) were independent predictors of 1-year all-cause mortality, while COPD, non-transfemoral route, and bleeding complications were not independently associated. Conclusions In a contemporary cohort of consecutive patients undergoing TAVR, AKI complicated ∼1 out of 5 procedures and is linked with about 4-fold adjusted risk of short-term death at 1-month and about 2-fold adjusted risk of subsequent death events up to 1-year follow-up. Baseline creatinine and bleeding complications, but not contrast volume were independently associated with AKI incidence. Landmark analysis for 1-year mortality Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None