Prognosis of patients with supranormal ejection fraction undergoing percutaneous aortic valve replacement

Several studies have shown that reduced (< 50%) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing valve replacement. Although patients with preserved LVEF (> 50%) have a better prognosis, there is a group with supranormal LVEF (≥ 70%) whose prognosis seems to differ due to their characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with severe AS and supranormal LVEF.

We performed a retrospective cohort study that included 1160 patients undergoing TAVI between 2007 and 2021 at Hospital Clínico San Carlos (Madrid, Spain). The patients were classified according to preoperative LVEF into reduced (< 50%), normal (50% to 69%), and supranormal (≥ 70%). Clinical, echocardiographic variables, and the following outcomes were compared: death from any cause at 30 days and at 1 year, death from cardiovascular causes at 1 year, and rehospitalization due to cardiovascular causes at 1 year.

Of the 1160 patients with severe AS who underwent TAVI during the study period, 276 (23.8%) had reduced LVEF, 702 (60.5%) had normal LVEF, and 182 (15.7%) had supranormal LVEF. Patients with supranormal LVEF were predominantly men (82.9 ± 5.3 years) and had lower ventricular volumes, higher relative wall thickness, and concentric geometry. There were no differences in 30-day or 1-year mortality. However, rehospitalization for cardiovascular causes at 1 year was significantly higher in the supranormal LVEF group (LVEF < 50%: 29.2%; LVEF 50% to 69%: 27.4%; LVEF ≥ 70%: 34.4%; P < .043).

Patients with severe AS and supranormal preprocedural LVEF (≥ 70%) who underwent TAVI had a higher rate of cardiovascular rehospitalization at 1 year, with no differences in mortality.