Factors associated with cognitive decline and delirium after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: Preliminary evidence

Abstract

Background Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become the standard for treating severe symptomatic aortic stenosis in those with prohibitive surgical risk. Cognitive complications, including delirium and cognitive decline are common following TAVI, yet an understanding of pre-procedural factors associated with these outcomes is lacking. This prospective observational study set out to identify geriatric pre-procedural factors associated with post-procedural delirium and cognitive decline in patients undergoing TAVI. Methods Cognitive outcomes of TAVI patients aged ≥60 years (N=32) were measured over one-year post-TAVI. Pre-procedural measures included frailty, gait, visual symptoms, voice pitch, dysphagia, blink rate, mood, and sleep. Primary outcomes were post-procedural delirium and cognitive decline. Results Delirium was present in 25% of patients over two days following TAVI and 26% experienced cognitive decline in the year post-TAVI. Daily physical activity was a protective factor against cognitive decline, and worse baseline visual memory was associated with delirium. While non-significant and with very large confidence intervals, moderate to large effect sizes were found for associations between slowed gait speed, pre-existing atrial fibrillation, and dysphagia for delirium, and slower gait speed, higher blink rate, pre-existing atrial fibrillation for cognitive decline. Conclusion Though underpowered, measures of considerable effect size were identified (although non-significant and with large variability). In larger studies, these novel geriatric factors could further be explored for predicting cognitive complications following TAVI. Improvement of risk prediction for cognitive decline and delirium following TAVI could assist with early identification of those at risk, informing clinical decision-making and allowing for targeted intervention to reduce post-procedural incidence of these complications.