Could anticoagulation avoid bioprosthesis subclinical thrombosis in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve...

Despite a lack of clear evidence, current European guidelines recommend antiplatelet therapy after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Recent investigations suggest that bioprosthesis thrombosis after TAVR is not uncommon and may be prevented by anticoagulation, but not by antiplatelet therapy.

The study objective was to assess the impact of the antithrombotic regimen on post-TAVR early haemodynamics.

Patients eligible for TAVR with an Edwards SAPIEN 3 valve were included in this prospective observational study. Patients undergoing long-term anticoagulation before TAVR continued their treatment, whereas previously non-anticoagulated patients received antiplatelet therapy. The primary endpoint was the mean transaortic gradient assessed by transthoracic echocardiography at the first post-TAVR follow-up. Safety was assessed by two composite endpoints: bleeding/vascular complications and major adverse postoperative events.

Among 135 included patients, 78 were discharged on antiplatelet therapy and 57 on anticoagulation. Both groups had similar baseline characteristics, except for supraventricular arrhythmia (7.7% on antiplatelets vs. 89.5% on anticoagulation; P<0.001). At 1-2months after TAVR, the mean transaortic gradient was significantly higher in the antiplatelet therapy group versus the anticoagulation group (13.0±4.0 vs. 9.0±2.8mmHg; P<0.001, independently of prosthesis size). Safety analyses showed no significant differences of the composite endpoints.

Prolonged anticoagulation after TAVR was associated with lower early transaortic gradients than antiplatelet therapy. Anticoagulation treatment may limit clinical and subclinical thrombosis without increasing early postoperative complications.