Impact of First-Phase Ejection Fraction on Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Abstract

BackgroundFirst-phase left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF1) is an early marker of left ventricular remodeling. Reduced LVEF1 has been associated with adverse prognosis in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). It remains to be determined, whether reduced LVEF1 differentiates clinical outcomes after aortic valve replacement. ObjectivesWe investigated the impact of LVEF1 on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for symptomatic severe AS with preserved LVEF (≥ 50%). MethodsIn the prospective Bern TAVI registry, we retrospectively categorized patients according to LVEF1 as assessed by transthoracic echocardiography. Clinical outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality and residual heart failure symptoms (New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV) at 1 year after TAVI. ResultsA total of 644 patients undergoing TAVI between January 2014 and December 2019 were included in the present analysis. Patients with low LVEF1 had a lower LVEF (62.0 ± 6.89% vs. 64.3 ± 7.82%, P < 0.001) and a higher left ventricular mass index (129.3 ± 39.1 g/m2 vs. 121.5 ± 38.0 g/m2; P = 0.027) compared to patients with high LVEF1. At 1 year, the incidence of all-cause/cardiovascular death, and NYHA III or IV were comparable between patients with low and high LVEF1 (8.3% vs. 9.2%; P = 0.773, 3.9% vs. 6.0%; P = 0.276, 12.9% vs. 12.2%; P = 0.892, respectively). ConclusionsReduced LVEF1 was not associated with adverse clinical outcomes following TAVI in patients with symptomatic severe AS with preserved LVEF. Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.clinicaltrials.gov. NCT01368250.