Analysis of Long-Term Survival Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation from a Single High-Volume Center

Abstract

Mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been reported to range up to 3 years. However, long-term mortality remains underexplored. The aims of this study were to determine long-term mortality in patients who undergo TAVI and to identify correlates of long-term death. From a single institution's prospectively collected TAVI database, all patients who underwent TAVI with a maximum follow-up duration of 5 years were analyzed. The population was analyzed on the basis of access route (transapical TAVI or transfemoral TAVI). Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were conducted. A total of 511 patients who underwent TAVI were included in the analysis (transapical TAVI n = 115, transfemoral TAVI n = 396). The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 9.6 ± 4. Mortality at 30 days (18% vs 6%, p <0.001) and 1 year (32% vs 21%, p <0.01) was significantly increased in the transapical TAVI group. Long-term survival probability was <50% for the 2 approaches (log-rank p = 0.33). Vascular complications (hazard ratio [HR] 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38 to 3.33, p = 0.001), more than mild aortic insufficiency (HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.83, p = 0.01), atrial fibrillation (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.36 to 2.57, p <0.001), and in-hospital stroke (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.39 to 4.00, p = 0.002) were independently associated with long-term death. The survival probability of patients at high surgical risk versus those who were inoperable was similar in the long term (log-rank p = 0.53). In conclusion, the overall long-term survival of patients with aortic stenosis who were approved to undergo TAVI was <50% irrespective of access method. Strategies geared toward reducing in-hospital stroke, vascular complications, and aortic regurgitation are still needed, as these variables are correlates of long-term mortality.