Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With New Permanent Pacemaker Implantation Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2018 Feb 12;11(3):301-310. doi: 10.1016/j.jcin.2017.10.032.

Abstract

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the long-term clinical impact of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Background: Conduction disturbances leading to PPI are common following TAVR. However, no data exist regarding the impact of PPI on long-term outcomes post-TAVR.

Methods: This was a multicenter study including a total of 1,629 patients without prior PPI undergoing TAVR (balloon- and self-expandable valves in 45% and 55% of patients, respectively). Follow-up clinical, echocardiographic, and pacing data were obtained at a median of 4 years (interquartile range: 3 to 5 years) post-TAVR.

Results: PPI was required in 322 (19.8%) patients within 30 days post-TAVR (26.9% and 10.9% in patients receiving self- and balloon-expandable CoreValve and Edwards systems, respectively). Up to 86% of patients with PPI exhibited pacing >1% of the time during follow-up (>40% pacing in 51% of patients). There were no differences between patients with and without PPI in total mortality (48.5% vs. 42.9%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95 to 1.39; p = 0.15) and cardiovascular mortality (14.9% vs. 15.5%, adjusted HR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.66 to 1.30; p = 0.66) at follow-up. However, patients with PPI had higher rates of rehospitalization due to heart failure (22.4% vs. 16.1%; adjusted HR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.89; p = 0.019), and the combined endpoint of mortality or heart failure rehospitalization (59.6% vs. 51.9%; adjusted HR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.48; p = 0.011). PPI was associated with lesser improvement in LVEF over time (p = 0.051 for changes in LVEF between groups), particularly in patients with reduced LVEF before TAVR (p = 0.005 for changes in LVEF between groups).

Conclusions: The need for PPI post-TAVR was frequent and associated with an increased risk of heart failure rehospitalization and lack of LVEF improvement, but not mortality, after a median follow-up of 4 years. Most patients with new PPI post-TAVR exhibited some degree of pacing activity at follow-up.

Keywords: aortic stenosis; left ventricular ejection fraction; pacemaker; transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aortic Valve / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Valve / physiopathology
  • Aortic Valve / surgery*
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / mortality
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / physiopathology
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / surgery*
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnosis
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / mortality
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / physiopathology
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / therapy*
  • Balloon Valvuloplasty / adverse effects
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial*
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / mortality
  • Heart Failure / physiopathology
  • Heart Failure / therapy
  • Heart Valve Prosthesis
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Male
  • Pacemaker, Artificial*
  • Patient Readmission
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prosthesis Design
  • Quebec
  • Risk Factors
  • Spain
  • Stroke Volume
  • Time Factors
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement / adverse effects*
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement / instrumentation
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement / mortality
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ventricular Function, Left