Aims The clinical impact of new-onset persistent left bundle branch block (NOP-LBBB) and permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) recipients remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the impact of (i) periprocedural NOP-LBBB and PPI post-TAVR on 1-year all-cause death, cardiac death, and heart failure hospitalization and (ii) NOP-LBBB on the need for PPI at 1-year follow-up. Methods and results We performed a systematic search from PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies reporting raw data on 1-year clinical impact of NOP-LBBB or periprocedural PPI post-TAVR. Data from 30 studies, including 7792 patients (12 studies) and 42 927 patients (21 studies) for the evaluation of the impact of NOP-LBBB and PPI after TAVR were sourced, respectively. NOP-LBBB was associated with an increased risk of all-cause death [risk ratio (RR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17–1.49; P < 0.001], cardiac death (RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.20–1.78; P < 0.001), heart failure hospitalization (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.05–1.72; P = 0.02), and PPI (RR 1.89, 95% CI 1.58–2.27; P < 0.001) at 1-year follow-up. Periprocedural PPI after TAVR was associated with a higher risk of all-cause death (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.11–1.25; P < 0.001) and heart failure hospitalization (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.03–1.36; P = 0.02). Permanent pacemaker implantation was not associated with an increased risk of cardiac death (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.67–1.05; P = 0.13). Conclusion NOP-LBBB and PPI after TAVR are associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and heart failure hospitalization at 1-year follow-up. Periprocedural NOP-LBBB also increased the risk of cardiac death and PPI within the year following the procedure. Further studies are urgently warranted to enhance preventive measures and optimize the management of conduction disturbances post-TAVR.

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PurposeOur objective was to investigate the impact of inter‐vendor variability in the ability of myocardial strain analysis to detect acute cellular rejection (ACR) in heart transplant recipients.MethodsWe performed serial echocardiographic examinations in 18 consecutive adult heart transplanted patients, in their first year post‐transplantation, within 3 hours of the routine surveillance endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) in a single center. Myocardial strain was analyzed using two software in two different institutions, and inter‐vendor variability of strain values and its association with ACR (any grade or grade ≥2R) was investigated. The parameter of comparison was the peak value of the average curve of strain during the entire cardiac cycle.ResultsA total of 147 pairs of EMB‐echocardiogram were performed, 65 with no ACR, 63 with ACR grade 1R, and 19 with ACR grade ≥2R. Intra‐class correlation coefficients for left ventricle longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain were 0.38, 0.39, and 0.77, respectively, and 0.32 for right ventricular longitudinal strain. Neither software found significant association of left ventricular longitudinal strain with rejection. Grade ≥2R ACR was associated with left ventricular circumferential strain measured with the first software and with left ventricular radial strain with the other; and ACR of any grade was only significantly associated with right ventricle longitudinal strain measured with the first software.ConclusionsInter‐vendor reproducibility of strain values was low in this study. Some strain parameters were associated to ACR, although these results were inconsistent between two commercially available software. Specific validation of each software is warranted for this clinical indication.

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