Prognostic value of aortic regurgitation after TAVI in patients with chronic kidney disease

BackgroundAortic regurgitation (AR) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for severe aortic valve stenosis results in major haemodynamic changes. Influence of post-implant AR and aortic valve calcification on outcome in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unclear.MethodsShort-term outcome was defined as a combined 30-day endpoint, long-term outcome as survival. Post-implant AR was classified as none/mild or moderate/severe using transthoracic echocardiography. Aortic valve calcification was calculated by computed tomography. Logistic regression analyses were performed in patients with none/mild (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥ 30 ml/min/1.73 m2) and advanced (eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2) CKD to evaluate predictors of outcome and post-implant AR.ResultsTAVI was performed in 546 consecutive patients. Moderate/severe post-implant AR was the only independent predictor of the 30-day endpoint in patients with advanced (OR 7.091, 95% CI 1.144-43.962, p = 0.035), but not in patients with none/mild CKD. Similarly, moderate/severe AR predicted impaired survival only in patients with advanced CKD (p < 0.001). NT-proBNP (OR 1.023 per 500 ng/l increase, 95% CI 1.003-1.043; p = 0.026) before intervention was the only independent predictor of the 30-day endpoint in patients with none/mild CKD. Aortic valve calcification was comparable in patients with none/mild versus advanced CKD and was an independent predictor of moderate/severe post-implant AR in the overall population as well as in the subgroups with none/mild or advanced CKD.ConclusionsModerate/severe AR after TAVI predicts outcome in patients with advanced CKD, but not in patients with none/mild CKD. Aortic valve calcification is an important predictor of post-implant AR independent of kidney function.