Outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with cognitive dysfunction

The impact of pre-existing cognitive dysfunction on outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unclear.

To study the association between dementia and post-TAVR outcomes.

Cohort study with propensity-score matching was conducted using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

History of dementia at the time of undergoing TAVR.

All-cause in-hospital mortality, stroke, bleeding requiring transfusion, acute kidney injury, post-procedural vascular complications, post-procedural pacemaker implantation, length of stay, in-hospital delirium, and discharge disposition in patients with and without dementia undergoing TAVR.

Of 57,805 patients undergoing TAVR, 2910 (5.0%) had a diagnosis of dementia. Propensity-score matching yielded 2895 matched pairs of patients. TAVR was associated with an increased risk of bleeding requiring transfusion (14.7% vs 8.6%, odd ratio (OR) 1.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-2.63]; p < 0.01), discharge to a rehabilitation facility (45.8% vs 31.6%, OR 2.27 [95% CI 1.67-3.08]; p < 0.001), in-hospital delirium (7.4% vs 3.6%, OR 2.13 [95% CI 1.26-3.61]; p < 0.01), increased length of stay (6.75 ± 0.07 days vs 6.11 ± 0.06 days, slope = 1.11 [95% CI 1.03-1.19]; p < 0.01), but comparable in-hospital mortality (2.1% vs 2.6%, OR 1.26 [95% CI 0.57-2.79]; p = 0.57] in patients with dementia compared with patients without dementia.

This study found that patients with dementia undergoing TAVR had a longer hospital stay as well as higher rates of discharge to a rehabilitation facility and in-hospital delirium, which may indicate debility and functional decline during hospitalization; however, in-hospital mortality and other outcomes were comparable between the two groups. TAVR candidates should be subjected to a comprehensive geriatric and cognitive assessment to help risk-stratify them for potential post-procedural functional decline. Prospective studies aimed at standardizing cognitive scoring and evaluating the post-procedural quality of life are needed.