Abstract 12772: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Improves Functional and Quality Of Life Outcomes in Patients With Low Gradient Aortic Stenosis

Abstract

Introduction: Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular disease, and severe disease can significantly impact morbidity. Less data exists examining the functional and quality of life (QOL) effects of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with severe low-gradient AS in both low-flow and normal-flow states. Hypothesis: Patients with symptomatic, severe, low-gradient AS would have improvements in functional and QOL outcomes at 30-days and 1-year following TAVR procedures. Methods: A single center, retrospective study examined symptomatic, severe, low-gradient AS variants. These had an aortic valve area of ≤1.0 cm 2 , mean transvalvular gradient <40 mmHg, and peak aortic valve velocity of <4 m/s. Classical low-flow low-gradient (CLFLG) AS was defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. CLFLG group underwent dobutamine stress echo to assess AS severity (Stage D2). Paradoxical low-flow low-gradient (PLFLG) AS was defined as LVEF ≥50% and a stroke volume index (SVi) ≤35mL/m 2 (Stage D3). Normal-flow low-gradient (NFLG) AS was defined as LVEF ≥50% and SVi >35mL/m 2 (Stage D4). The primary outcome was change in New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification and a 12-item Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall score (KCCQ-OS) at 30-days and 1-year following TAVR. Results: A total of 191 patients were included for analysis: 46 CLFLG, 83 PLFLG, and 62 NFLG AS. At baseline, 130 (68%) had NYHA class III or IV symptoms. Mean baseline KCCQ-OS for all groups was 38±23 (Figure 1). The mean KCCQ-OS at 30-days and 1 year were 62±22 and 68±20. There were no significant differences in KCCQ-OS between the groups at 30-days and 1-year. Following TAVR, 92% and 88% of the cohort had NYHA class I or II symptoms at 30-days and 1 year. Conclusions: Patients with symptomatic, severe low-gradient AS had significant and sustained improvements in their functional and QOL metrics at 30-days and 1-year following TAVR procedures regardless of flow-state.