Thrombocytopenia after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: What is really going on?

In a multivariate model, the drop-in platelet count (DPC) was significantly higher in patients treated with a balloon expandable valve (BEV) than a self-expandable valve (SEV) (36.3% ± 15.1% vs. 27.7% ± 14.4%, p < .001). In a univariate model, a higher DPC post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement was observed in patients requiring alternate access and lower contrast volume. The platelet count nadir was nearly a day later in patients implanted with a BEV compared with an SEV. At 30 days, there was a higher rate of adverse events and mortality in patients with a high DPC. At 1 year, there was no significant difference in mortality rates between the high DPC group and the low DPC group.