Subclinical leaflet thrombosis after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: no association with left ventricular reverse remodeling at 1-year follow-up

• Published in: The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging 2022-03, Vol.38 (3), p.695-705
• Main Authors: Kuneman, Jurrien H., Singh, Gurpreet K., Hansson, Nicolaj C., Fusini, Laura, Poulsen, Steen H., Fortuni, Federico, Vollema, E. Mara, Pedersen, Anders L. D., Annoni, Andrea D., Nørgaard, Bjarne L., Pontone, Gianluca, Ajmone Marsan, Nina, Delgado, Victoria, Bax, Jeroen J., Knuuti, Juhani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aorta; Aortic valve; Aortic Valve - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Valve - surgery; Aortic Valve Stenosis - complications; Aortic Valve Stenosis - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Valve Stenosis - surgery; Cardiac Imaging; Cardiology; Case-Control Studies; Clinical outcomes; Computed tomography; Congestive heart failure; Echocardiography; Female; Fibrillation; Follow-Up Studies; Heart valves; Humans; Imaging; Implantation; Ischemia; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Paper; Patients; Predictive Value of Tests; Radiology; Thickening; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis; Thrombosis - complications; Thrombosis - etiology; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement - adverse effects; Transient ischemic attack; Treatment Outcome; Ventricle; Ventricular Function, Left; Ventricular Remodeling
• ISSN: 1569-5794; 1875-8312; 1573-0743; 1875-8312
• DOI: 10.1007/s10554-021-02438-2

Hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) of transcatheter aortic valves is detected on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and reflects leaflet thrombosis. Whether HALT affects left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling, a favorable effect of LV afterload reduction after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association of HALT after TAVI with LV reverse remodeling. In this multicenter case–control study, patients with HALT on MDCT were identified, and patients without HALT were propensity matched for valve type and size, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), sex, age and time of scan. LV dimensions and function were assessed by transthoracic echocardiography before and 12 months after TAVI. Clinical outcomes (stroke or transient ischemic attack, heart failure hospitalization, new-onset atrial fibrillation, all-cause mortality) were recorded. 106 patients (age 81 ± 7 years, 55% male) with MDCT performed 37 days [IQR 32–52] after TAVI were analyzed (53 patients with HALT and 53 matched controls). Before TAVI, all echocardiographic parameters were similar between the groups. At 12 months follow-up, patients with and without HALT showed a significant reduction in LV end-diastolic volume, LV end-systolic volume and LV mass index (from 125 ± 37 to 105 ± 46 g/m 2 , p = 0.001 and from 127 ± 35 to 101 ± 27 g/m 2 , p