Hemodynamics and Mid-Term Clinical Outcomes Following Valve-in-Valve TAVR With Balloon-Expandable Valves

BACKGROUND: Lower (<10 mm Hg) discharge echocardiographic mean gradients (MGs) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement with balloon-expandable valves are associated with lower ejection fraction and higher 5-year mortality compared with higher gradients. Using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry, we studied the relationship between echocardiographic MG and patient prosthesis mismatch (PPM) following transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve replacement and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Patients who underwent aortic valve-in-valve replacement with a balloon-expandable valve from July 2015 to December 2023 in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry were included. Adjusted Cox models with regression splines explored the relationship between MG and 5-year mortality. Kaplan-Meier estimates and adjusted hazard ratios compared the occurrence of 5-year mortality between gradient cutoffs and PPM presence. RESULTS: A total of 13 054 patients were included; spline curves demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between discharge MG and 5-year mortality. Kaplan-Meier curves suggested higher 5-year mortality with MG <10 mm Hg compared with MG ≥10 mm Hg (hazard ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.02–1.29]; P =0.024). MG <10 mm Hg was associated with lower ejection fraction compared with higher MG (50.4±13.9 versus 53.2±12.8; P <0.0001). Severe PPM and MG ≥20 mm Hg were not associated with worse 5-year outcomes compared with none/moderate PPM or MG ≤20 mm Hg, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Discharge MG <10 mm Hg is associated with lower ejection fraction and increased 5-year mortality following aortic valve-in-valve replacement compared with higher MG in a nonlinear fashion. Severe PPM and MG > 20 mm Hg were not associated with worse 5-year clinical outcomes. Incorporating data on ejection fraction with PPM and MG is important before determining the need for valve optimization.