Predictors of bioprosthetic valve dysfunction after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Recently, the Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-3 criteria redefined bioprosthetic valve dysfunction (BVD) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, the rate of BVD is scarcely reported in current practice.

We aimed to evaluate the rate and predictors of BVD after TAVI based on the VARC-3 criteria.

We retrospectively analysed patients who had undergone TAVI using single-centre data. BVD was reported as exposure-adjusted event rates with a patient-year unit (per 100 patient-years). Predictors of BVD after TAVI were analysed using Fine-Gray competing risk regression to account for the competing risk of death.

Among 514 patients, the rate of BVD was 7.5 events per 100 patient-years (n=74) at a median follow-up of 1.9 years. The main cause of BVD was moderate or severe prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM; n=59). The Fine-Gray model demonstrated that predilatation was associated with a lower rate of BVD, mainly moderate or severe PPM (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [sub-HR] 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21-0.88). In a subgroup analysis, the patients with a small aortic annulus (area <400 mm² or perimeter <72 mm) tended to benefit from predilatation (p for interaction=0.03). The same regression model also demonstrated that a small balloon-expandable valve (BEV; ≤23 mm) was associated with a higher rate of BVD (adjusted sub-HR 2.46, 95% CI: 1.38-4.38).

Our study suggested that the rate of BVD in patients undergoing TAVI is relatively low at midterm follow-up. Predilatation, particularly in small annuli and small BEV might have an impact on BVD, mainly caused by moderate or severe PPM, after TAVI.