Reduced Rate of Anemia after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background/Objectives: We sought to evaluate changes in hemoglobin level and renal function in patients 5-12 months after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and to examine possible relationships between these changes. Anemia is common in older people with severe aortic stenosis (AS). The two most common etiologies for anemia in this population are iron deficiency due to gastrointestinal blood loss and renal failure. Angiodysplasia in the gastrointestinal system is a feature of AS syndrome. Methods: We collected clinical data, including hemoglobin level and renal function before and 5-12 months after TAVR in 315 consecutive patients. To examine whether calculated clinical predictors such as EuroScore 2 are associated with the persistence of anemia after TAVR, we performed multivariable correlation analysis with post-TAVR anemia as the dependent variable. Results: The mean hemoglobin level increased significantly (from 11.76 to 12.16 g/dL, p < 0.0001) 5-12 months after TAVR, and the number of patients with anemia decreased significantly (from 67.5% to 53.9%, p < 0.0001). At 5-12 months following TAVR, a small reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate was observed (from 60.05 ± 24.1 to 58.30 ± 24.50 mL/min, p = 0.024). The multivariable correlation analysis did not identify clinical predictors of persistent anemia. Conclusions: A significant increase in hemoglobin was observed 5-12 months after TAVR, despite a reduction in renal function. Our findings imply that gastrointestinal blood loss, which occurs in patients with severe AS, is significantly reduced following TAVR.