Mortality and Heart Failure Hospitalization in Patients With Conduction Abnormalities After Transcatheter Aortic...

The aim of this study was to assess mortality and rehospitalization in patients with new bundle branch block (BBB) and/or permanent pacemaker (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Previous studies have provided inconsistent results on the clinical impact of new BBB or new PPM after TAVR.

A total of 816 consecutive patients without pre-procedural BBB or PPM undergoing TAVR between 2007 and 2017 were followed for 5 years or until data extraction in September 2017. Data on vital status and hospitalization were obtained through national registries.

Within 30 days post-TAVR, new BBB without PPM and new PPM occurred in 247 (30.3%) and 132 (16.2%) patients, respectively, leaving 437 patients (53.6%) without conduction abnormalities. Median follow-up was 2.5 years (interquartile range: 1.0 to 4.9 years). One-year all-cause mortality was increased for new BBB (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.80; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18 to 3.67) but not for new PPM (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 0.72 to 3.74) compared with patients with no conduction abnormalities. The risk for late all-cause mortality (≥1 year after TAVR) was higher both for patients with new BBB (HR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.24 to 2.59) and for those with new PPM (HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.46) compared with patients with no conduction abnormalities. Patients with new BBB (HR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.12) and new PPM (HR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.54) had a higher risk for heart failure hospitalization and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (p < 0.0001 for both groups) during follow-up.

New BBB and new PPM developed frequently after TAVR. New BBB was associated with increased early and late all-cause mortality, whereas new PPM was associated with late all-cause mortality. Furthermore, both new BBB and new PPM increased the risk for heart failure hospitalizations.