Need for Permanent Pacemaker as a Complication of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Elderly Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis and Similar Baseline Electrocardiographic Findings

• Published in: JACC. Cardiovascular interventions 2012-05, Vol.5 (5), p.540-551
• Main Authors: Bagur, Rodrigo, MD, Rodés-Cabau, Josep, MD, Gurvitch, Ronen, MBBS, Dumont, Éric, MD, Velianou, James L., MD, Manazzoni, Juan, MD, Toggweiler, Stefan, MD, Cheung, Anson, MD, Ye, Jian, MD, Natarajan, Madhu K., MD, Bainey, Kevin R., MD, DeLarochellière, Robert, MD, Doyle, Daniel, MD, Pibarot, Philippe, DVM, PhD, Voisine, Pierre, MD, Côté, Mélanie, MSc, Philippon, François, MD, Webb, John G., MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; aortic stenosis; Aortic Valve Stenosis - diagnosis; Aortic Valve Stenosis - therapy; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - diagnosis; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - etiology; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - therapy; Atrioventricular Block - diagnosis; Atrioventricular Block - etiology; Atrioventricular Block - therapy; Bradycardia - diagnosis; Bradycardia - etiology; Bradycardia - therapy; Bundle-Branch Block - diagnosis; Bundle-Branch Block - etiology; Bundle-Branch Block - therapy; Canada; Cardiac Catheterization - adverse effects; Cardiac Catheterization - instrumentation; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; Cardiovascular; Catheters; Chi-Square Distribution; Electrocardiography; Equipment Design; Female; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation - adverse effects; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation - instrumentation; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Odds Ratio; pacemaker implantation; Pacemaker, Artificial; Propensity Score; Prosthesis Design; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Time Factors; transcatheter aortic valve implantation; Treatment Outcome; valve replacement
• ISSN: 1936-8798; 1876-7605
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcin.2012.03.004

Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the incidence and predictive factors of complete atrioventricular block (AVB) and permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) versus surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Background No data exist on the need for PPI after TAVI versus SAVR in patients with similar baseline electrocardiographic (ECG) findings. Methods A total of 411 patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and no prior pacemaker who underwent TAVI with the balloon-expandable Edwards valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) were matched (1:1) with 411 elderly patients with severe AS who underwent isolated SAVR on the basis of baseline ECG findings. The incidence, reasons, and predictive factors for PPI within 30 days after the procedure were compared between groups. Results Mean age was similar in both groups (p = 0.11), and the TAVI group had a higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (p < 0.001). The rate of new PPI was higher after TAVI (7.3%) compared with SAVR (3.4%), p = 0.014. Complete AVB and severe symptomatic bradycardia, respectively, were the reasons for PPI in the TAVI (5.6% and 1.7%, respectively) and SAVR (2.7% and 0.7%, respectively) groups (p = 0.039 for complete AVB, p = NS for symptomatic bradycardia). The presence of baseline right bundle branch block was the only variable associated with PPI in the TAVI group (odds ratio: 8.61, 95% confidence interval: 3.14 to 23.67, p < 0.0001), whereas no variable was found in the SAVR group. Conclusions Transcatheter aortic valve implantation was associated with a higher rate of complete AVB and PPI compared with SAVR in elderly patients with severe AS and similar baseline ECG findings. The presence of baseline right bundle branch block correlated with the need for PPI in the TAVI group.