Understanding repeat hospitalizations in intermediate-to-high risk aortic stenosis patients following transcatheter...

We describe the causes, timing and predictors of readmissions and analyze its impact on clinical outcomes in intermediate-to-high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Intermediate-high risk TAVR patients with severe AS have an increased risk for hospital readmissions due to the high burden of comorbidities.

Patients who underwent TAVR from 2012 to 2018 at a single tertiary cardiac center were included and followed for 1 year. Readmissions were categorized as noncardiovascular (non-CV) and CV.

A total of 611 patients (410 with no readmissions, 201 with ≥1 readmissions) were included. There was a total of 317 readmissions (mean: 1.58 ± 1.09 per readmitted patient) with 65 patients having ≥2 readmissions. 64.0% were non-CV and 36.0% were CV. The top three CV causes were pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, bleeding, and stroke. About 23% occurred at 1 m, the majority were CV; 45% occurred between 7 and 12 m, the majority were non-CV. Those with ≥1 readmissions had a higher burden of comorbidities including peripheral arterial disease, diabetes, immunosuppression, prior percutaneous coronary interventions, and dialysis. Readmissions were associated with higher 1-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.40-4.59; p = 0.002). High-risk patients had higher non-CV readmissions (0.37 ± 0.79 vs. 0.25 ± 0.62; p = 0.044) compared to intermediate-risk patients but similar CV readmissions (p = 0.645).

Understanding readmissions post-TAVR will promote the early identification of at-risk groups and the implementation of preventative measures to improve outcomes and reduce the burden and costs of readmissions.