With the clinical generalization and popularization of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), cerebrovascular events related to TAVR occur more frequently, which significantly impairs neurocognitive function, increases mortality, and seriously affects prognosis and quality of life in these patients. However, the reported incidence rates of TAVR-related stroke differ in literature due to inconsistent diagnostic criteria. According to the onset time, TAVR-related stroke can be divided into acute (≤24 h), subacute (24 h-30 d), early (31 d-1 year) and late (>1 year) types, and the cause of stroke generally varies according to the onset time. Both surgical (balloon aortic valvuloplasty, types of transcatheter heart valve, alternative access) and non-surgical (valvular calcium burden, bicuspid aortic valve, subclinical leaflet thrombosis, postoperative new-onset atrial fibrillation) can be related to the occurrence of TAVR-related stroke. Postprocedural monitoring, postprocedural antithrombotic therapy, and cerebral embolic protection devices are important for the prevention of TAVR-related stoke. This article reviews the research progress on TAVR-related stroke, focusing on its epidemiology, risk factors and preventive measures, aiming to provide reference for the clinical management of stroke in TAVR.
Humans ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement/adverse effects* ; Stroke/epidemiology* ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Risk Factors

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as the first-line treatment for aortic valve stenosis. Coronary obstruction is a severe complication of TAVR, with mortality rates exceeding 30%. Coronary obstruction can be classified as acute or delayed based on the timing of the onset, and as direct or indirect obstruction according to the underlying mechanism. Risk factors for predicting coronary obstruction include a small sinus of Valsalva diameter, excessively long native leaflets, low coronary height, and small sinotubular junction height and diameter. Accurate preoperative assessment of these anatomical parameters using CT is crucial for selecting the appropriate valve type, size, and implantation depth. Preventive technical strategies for coronary obstruction include intraoperative interventional treatments (such as the "Chimney" stenting technique), leaflet modification (such as the BASILICA technique), and alignment of the annulus and coronaries. These techniques have demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing the incidence of coronary obstruction and associated mortality. This paper reviews the epidemiology, classification, and mechanisms of coronary obstruction, with a particular focus on the identification, prevention, and treatment of high-risk patients. The aim is to highlight the importance of recognizing and managing coronary risks during TAVR and to provide actionable recommendations for the prevention and treatment of coronary obstruction in clinical practice.
Humans ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement/methods* ; Risk Factors ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control* ; Coronary Occlusion/etiology*

COMPERA 2.0 risk stratification has been demonstrated to be useful in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, its suitability for patients at risk for post-capillary PH or PH associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) is unclear. To investigate the use of COMPERA 2.0 in patients with severe aortic stenosis (SAS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), who are at risk for post-capillary PH, a total of 327 eligible SAS patients undergoing TAVR at our institution between September 2015 and November 2020 were included in the study. Patients were classified into four strata before and after TAVR using the COMPERA 2.0 risk score. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards regression model. The study cohort had a median (interquartile range) age of 76 (70‒80) years and a pulmonary arterial systolic pressure of 33 (27‒43) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) before TAVR. The overall mortality was 11.9% during 26 (15‒47) months of follow-up. Before TAVR, cumulative mortality was higher with an increase in the risk stratum level (log-rank, both P<0.001); each increase in the risk stratum level resulted in an increased risk of death (hazard ratio (HR) 2.53, 95% confidential interval (CI) 1.54‒4.18, P<0.001), which was independent of age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), hemoglobin, albumin, and valve type (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.01‒3.07, P=0.047). Similar results were observed at 30 d after TAVR. COMPERA 2.0 can serve as a useful tool for risk stratification in patients with SAS undergoing TAVR, indicating its potential application in the management of PH-LHD. Further validation is needed in patients with confirmed post-capillary PH by right heart catheterization.
Humans ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/complications* ; Aged ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/mortality* ; Male ; Female ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Aged, 80 and over ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTION: Management of aortic stenosis (AS) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may often be overlooked, and this could confer poorer outcomes. METHODS: Consecutive patients ( n = 727) with index echocardiographic diagnosis of moderate to severe AS (aortic valve area <1.5 cm 2 ) were examined. They were divided into those with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min) and those without. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic parameters were compared, and a multivariate Cox regression model was constructed. Clinical outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: There were 270 (37.1%) patients with concomitant CKD. The CKD group was older (78.0 ± 10.3 vs. 72.1 ± 12.9 years, P < 0.001), with a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and ischaemic heart disease. AS severity did not differ significantly, but left ventricular (LV) mass index (119.4 ± 43.7 vs. 112.3 ± 40.6 g/m 2 , P = 0.027) and Doppler mitral inflow E to annular tissue Doppler e' ratio (E: e' 21.5 ± 14.6 vs. 17.8 ± 12.2, P = 0.001) were higher in the CKD group. There was higher mortality (log-rank 51.5, P < 0.001) and more frequent admissions for cardiac failure (log-rank 25.9, P < 0.001) in the CKD group, with a lower incidence of aortic valve replacement (log-rank 7.12, P = 0.008). On multivariate analyses, after adjusting for aortic valve area, age, left ventricular ejection fraction and clinical comorbidities, CKD remained independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.50-2.57, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Concomitant CKD in patients with moderate to severe AS was associated with increased mortality, more frequent admissions for cardiac failure and a lower incidence of aortic valve replacement.
Humans ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Male ; Female ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications* ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Middle Aged ; Severity of Illness Index ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Echocardiography ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Retrospective Studies ; Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Echocardiography, Doppler

Humans ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/complications* ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II/complications* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/etiology* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a common comorbidity in patients with degenerative aortic stenosis (AS).As a key item of the American Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score, it has a vital impact on the clinical prognosis of traditional thoracic surgery. T2DM has an adverse effect on the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, studies have shown that T2DM are associated with myocardial hypertrophy and remodeling, decreased left ventricular function, and worsening heart failure symptoms in the AS patients. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as an interventional method to replace the aortic valve has better safety for middle and high risk patients in surgery, but the impact of T2DM on the clinical outcome of TAVR in AS patients is not clear.By analyzing the clinical and image characteristics of patients with AS and T2DM who received TAVR treatment, so as to explore the effect of T2DM on the perioperative complications and prognosis of TAVR. METHODS: A total of 100 consecutive patients with severe AS, who underwent TAVR treatment and were followed up for more than 1 month, were selectedin the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2016 to December 2020.Among them, 5 patients who were treated with TAVR due to simple severe aortic regurgitation were not included, therefore a total of 95 patients with severe aortic stenosis were enrolled in this study.The age of the patients was (72.7±4.8) years old, and there were 58 males (61.1%), and the patients with moderate or above aortic regurgitation had 30 cases (31.6%). The patients were divided into a diabetic group and a non-diabetic group according to whether they were combined with T2DM.There was no statistical difference in age, gender, body mass index (BMI), STS score, and New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function classification between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). The primary end point was defined as a composite event consisting of all-cause death and stroke one month after surgery, and the secondary end point was defined as TAVR-related complications immediately after surgery and one month after surgery.The preoperative clinical data, cardiac ultrasound data, CT data, postoperative medication and the incidence of each endpoint event were compared between the 2 groups.The predictive model of adverse events was constructed by single factor and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Compared with the non-diabetic group, the diabetic group had high blood pressure and chronic renal insufficiency.There was no significant difference in preoperative ultrasound echocardiography between the 2 groups. Preoperative CT evaluation found that the anatomical structure of the aortic root in the diabetic group was smaller than that in the non-diabetic group, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of bicuspid aortic valve between the 2 groups (all P<0.05). In terms of postoperative medication, the use of statins in the diabetes group was significantly higher than that in the non-diabetic group. In the diabetes group, 6 patients (37.5%) received insulin therapy, and 9 patients (56.3%) received oral medication alone.Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the all-cause death and stroke compound events was increased in the diabetes group in 30 days after TAVR (OR=6.86; 95% CI: 2.14 to 21.79; P<0.01). Heart disease (OR=2.80; 95% CI: 0.99 to 7.88; P<0.05) and chronic renal insufficiency (OR=3.75; 95% CI: 1.24 to 11.34; P<0.05) were also risk factors for all-cause death and stroke compound events.In a multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age, gender, BMI, comorbidities, N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), total calcification score, ejection fraction, and degree of aortic regurgitation, T2DM was still a risk factor for all-cause death and stroke compound events in 30 days after TAVR (OR=12.68; 95% CI: 1.76 to 91.41; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS T2DM is a risk factor for short-term poor prognosis in patients with symptomatic severe AS after TAVR treatment. T2DM should play an important role in the future construction of the TAVR surgical risk assessment system, but the conclusions still need to be further verified by long-term follow-up of large-scale clinical studies.
Aged ; Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency/surgery* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications* ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Stroke ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; United States

INTRODUCTION: Data on patients with small aortic annuli (SAA) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are limited. We aim to describe the impact of aortic annular size, particularly SAA and TAVI valve type on valve haemodynamics, durability and clinical outcomes. METHOD: All patients in National Heart Centre Singapore who underwent transfemoral TAVI for severe symptomatic native aortic stenosis from July 2012 to December 2019 were included. Outcome measures include valve haemodynamics, prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM), structural valve degeneration (SVD) and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 244 patients were included. The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 6.22±6.08, with 52.5% patients with small aortic annulus (<23mm), 33.2% patients with medium aortic annulus (23-26mm) and 14.3% patients with large aortic annulus (>26mm). There were more patients with self-expanding valve (SEV) (65.2%) versus balloon-expandable valve (BEV) (34.8%). There were no significant differences in indexed aortic valve area (iAVA), mean pressure gradient (MPG), PPM, SVD or mortality across all aortic annular sizes. However, specific to the SAA group, patients with SEV had larger iAVA (SEV 1.19±0.35cm2/m2 vs BEV 0.88±0.15cm2/m2, P<0.01) and lower MPG (SEV 9.25±4.88 mmHg vs BEV 14.17±4.75 mmHg, P<0.01) at 1 year, without differences in PPM or mortality. Aortic annular size, TAVI valve type and PPM did not predict overall mortality up to 7 years. There was no significant difference in SVD between aortic annular sizes up to 5 years. CONCLUSION Valve haemodynamics and durability were similar across the different aortic annular sizes. In the SAA group, SEV had better haemodynamics than BEV at 1 year, but no differences in PPM or mortality. There were no significant differences in mortality between aortic annular sizes, TAVI valve types or PPM.
Humans ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Prosthesis Design ; Postoperative Complications/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Hemodynamics

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the early and long-term outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) in elderly patients in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2018, 94 patients aged ≥75 years underwent isolated AVR with stented bioprosthetic valves for aortic valve stenosis (AS). The main etiologies of AS were degenerative (n=63) and bicuspid (n=21). The median follow-up duration was 40.7 months (range, 0.6–174 months). RESULTS: Operative mortality occurred in 2 patients (2.1%) and paravalvular leak occurred in 1 patient. No patients required permanent pacemaker insertion after surgery. Late death occurred in 11 patients. The overall survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 87.2% and 65.1%, respectively. The rates of freedom from valve-related events at 5 and 10 years were 94.5% and 88.6%, respectively. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score (p=0.013) and chronic kidney disease (p=0.030) were significant factors affecting long-term survival. The minimal p-value approach demonstrated that an STS score of 3.5% was the most suitable cut-off value for predicting long-term survival. CONCLUSION: Surgical AVR for elderly AS patients may be feasible in terms of early mortality and postoperative complications, particularly paravalvular leak and permanent pacemaker insertion. The STS score and chronic kidney disease were associated with long-term outcomes after AVR in the elderly.
Aged* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis* ; Aortic Valve* ; Bicuspid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Freedom ; Humans ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Stents ; Surgeons ; Survival Rate ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Coronary ostial stenosis after aortic valve replacement (AVR) is a rare but life-threatening complication. Here, we report a case of right coronary artery ostial stenosis in a patient who had a history of re-do AVR and normal preoperative coronary angiographic findings. The patient was successfully treated with a drug-eluting stent.
Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Aortic Valve* ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Postoperative Complications

With the population aging and declining incidence of rheumatic heart disease, calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) has become the most frequent valve disease and the common cause of aortic valve replacement. Patients with CAVD need to cope with a deteriorating quality of life and valve replacement is the only effective clinical option for the patients. Therefore, early pharmacotherapy is of great significance in prevention or slow-down of the progression of CAVD. For years CAVD was considered to be a passive wear and tear process of valves, but now it is recognized as an active and multi-factorial process. Histopathologic studies have revealed that inflammation, disorder of calcium and phosphorus metabolism and dyslipidemia are involved in the process of CAVD. Clinical trials of CAVD pharmacotherapy have been carried out based on those histopathologic studies. Statin, renin-angiotensin inhibitors and anti-osteoporosis drug are well studied in recent years. This article reviews the recent research progress of the pharmacotherapy for CAVD.
Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Aortic Valve ; pathology ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; complications ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Calcinosis ; complications ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Calcium Metabolism Disorders ; complications ; Disease Progression ; Dyslipidemias ; complications ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Inflammation ; complications ; Phosphorus Metabolism Disorders ; complications ; Quality of Life