Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation related thrombocytopenia (TAVI-rTP) is an inevitable phenomenon. However, no study has been performed on TAVI-rTP in the current setting of extended clinical indications combined with technology improvements.Methods: Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent transfemoral TAVI, from January 2016 to December 2019 were enrolled.Results: Two-hundred and one consecutive patients (mean age 81.1 ± 7.1 years, 96 men) enrolled. Platelet count was recorded before and after aortic valve implantation. Dropped platelet count (DPC) occurred in all but 11 patients who were included.Two groups were created: DPC <30 and DPC ≥30%. DPC was compared with inhospital major adverse cardiovascular events. The mean DPC was 26 ± 14%. We found that 67 patients (33.3%) had DPC of more or equal to 30%. In the univariable analysis, the time of the procedure (94.4 ± 32.7 vs 79.4 ± 21.9, p = .002), the amount of the contrast used (125.4 ± 55.4 vs 108.4 ± 44.1, p = .02) and the residual AV gradient (13.3 ± 7.2 vs 14.7, p = .05) were related to a DCP ≥30%. A DPC ≥30% was associated with increased risk of life-threatening/major bleeding (11.9% vs 1.5%, p = .001), major vascular complications (16.4% vs 5.2% p = .009) and death (3.0% vs 0%, p = .044) at 30 days. After multivariable analysis, the factors associated with a higher DPC were time and contrast. Conclusion:Contemporary TAVI-rTP in this cohort of patients continues to be a common phenomenon but severe thrombocytopenia is less frequent. Patients developing a DPC ≥30% are associated with poor outcomes at 30 days.

Objective Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) provokes early injury response, represented in part by dynamic changes in the inflammatory markers. The association of self-expanding valves (SEVs) and balloon-expandable valves (BEVs) with the consequent inflammatory response remains uncertain. Materials and methods Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent transfemoral TAVI: SEVs or BEVs, from January 2010 to December 2019 were enrolled. Whole white blood cells (WBC) and subpopulation dynamics as well the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were evaluated. Results Three-hundred seventy consecutive patients (mean age 81.75 ± 6.8 years, 199 women’s) were enrolled. In the entire population, significant kinetic changes in the WBC response (p <0.0001) between admission and first 24 hours post procedure, with a significant increase in total WBC (7.46 ± 2.26 to 10.08 ± 3.55) and absolute neutrophil count (4.97 ± 2.06 to 8.19 ± 3.43), NL ratio (3.72 ± 2.8 to 9.76 ± 7.29), and a meaningful decrease in absolute lymphocytes count (1.67 ± 1.1 to 1.1 ± 0.76). When compared between the types of valves, SEVs were associated with a more pronounced inflammatory response than BEVs, with total WBC (10.44 ± 3.86 vs. 9.45 ± 3.19) neutrophils (8.56 ± 3.75 vs. 7.55 ± 3.06) with p 0.016 and 0.012 respectively. Conclusion This is the first description of a differential inflammatory response between the two leading delivery systems. SEV appears to trigger a more robust inflammatory response as compared to BEV. Clinical studies are warranted to assess the long term effect of our findings.

Background: TAVI related thrombocytopenia (TAVI-rTP) is still very common. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence, characteristics and impact of reduced platelet counts (RPC) after TAVI between an earlier and contemporary period. Methods: the patients enrolled were those experiencing severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent TAVI between January 2010 and December 2019. The exclusion criteria were no available blood tests and periprocedural death. Results: 334 patients (mean age 81.9 ± 6.7 years) were enrolled. For the earlier period, the mean RPC was 33 ± 15%, and in the contemporary period (2016–2019) it was 26 ± 14%. In the early group, we found that 62% of the patients had decreased platelet counts of more or equal to 30% in comparison to 33% in the contemporary period. The time of the procedure and the amount of the contrast that had been used in the later period were associated with significant RPCs (p value = 0.002 and 0.028, respectively). An RPC of 30% or more was associated with the increased risks of life-threatening bleeding, vascular complications and death within 30 days. Conclusion: contemporary TAVI-rTP continued to be a common phenomenon in our cohort. However, severe thrombocytopenia was significantly less frequent. An RPC of 30% or more is associated with a poor 30-day outcome.

Background: Prior studies have proven the safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with reduced left ventricular (LV) function. This study’s aim was to investigate periprocedural inflammatory responses after TAVI. Methods: Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and reduced LV function who underwent transfemoral TAVI were enrolled. A paired-matched analysis (1:2 ratio) was performed using patients with preserved LV function. Whole white blood cells (WBC) and subpopulation dynamics as well as the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were evaluated at different times. Results: A total of 156 patients were enrolled, including 52 patients with LVEF < 40% 35.00 [30.00, 39.25] and 104 with LVEF > 50% 55.00 [53.75, 60.0], p < 0.001. Baseline NLR in the reduced LV function group was significantly higher compared to the preserved LV function group, 2.85 [2.07, 4.78] vs. 3.90 [2.67, 5.26], p < 0.04. After a six-month follow-up, the inflammatory profile was found to be similar in the two groups, NLR 2.94 [2.01, 388] vs. 3.30 [2.06, 5.35], p = 0.288. No significant mortality differences between the two groups were observed in the long-term outcome. Conclusions: TAVI for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, with reduced LV function, was associated with an improvement in the inflammatory profile that may account for some of the observable benefits of the procedure in this subset of patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the mid-term efficacy of drug-coated balloons (DCB) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in two different pathophysiologic scenarios. Background: There are different underlying pathological processes in coronary artery disease. Mid-term safety and efficacy of DCB approach is still limited. Methods: Medical records of all consecutive patients undergoing DCB were evaluated. The primary endpoint was the rate of clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) after 24 months. Results: Between January 2011 and December 2017, 442 patients were included, representing 4.4% of all PCIs in our institution. A total of 460 DCB lesions were treated, of which 328 (71.3%) were de novo and 132 (28.7%) were combined bare metal or drug-eluting stents with in-stent restenosis (ISR). The patients’ mean age was 66.2 ± 11.7 years with a diabetes prevalence of 45.3%. The TLR rate was lower in the de novo group (5.3%) compared to the ISR group (9.4%) (p = 0.04). No differences were observed in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) between the de novo group (38.9%) and ISR group (42.5%) (p = 0.47). No significant differences were detected in the TLR occurrence in the subgroup analysis. Conclusion: Our extended experience demonstrates that the mid-term DCB approach in these two pathophysiologic settings represent a reasonable option, with low TLR rate.

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Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as an effective and safe treatment for severe aortic stenosis in the last decades compared for surgical aortic valve replacement. However, it stills associated with high risk of conduction abnormalities requiring pacemaker implantation. Our study aimed to examine factors associated with transient conduction abnormities that don’t require pacemaker on long term. Methods: Retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients who underwent TAVI between 2010 and 2019 in Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel. Results: Pre-TAVI haemoglobin levels were significantly lower in patients who developed transient CA compared to patients who develop persistent conduction abnormalities and were pacemaker dependent on follow up. Similarly, urea levels were higher in in patients with transient conduction abnormalities. Conclusion: Transient conduction abnormalities following TAVI are not uncommon. Correction of anaemia and volume depletion prior to TAVI may decrease the incidence of these transient conduction abnormalities and hence, decrease the fraction of unnecessary permanent pacemaker implantations in the long term. Watchful waiting may be wise in anaemic patients who develop CA after TAVI. The cut-off for haemoglobin levels prior to TAVI is yet to be determined.