Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. BACKGROUND Detection of immobile leaflets immediately following bioprosthetic valve implantation is a rare but important intraoperative finding. Restriction of leaflet movement can occur in the closed or open position, leading to abnormal prosthesis function. We sought to determine the clinical implications of immobile leaflets seen on intraoperative echocardiography. METHODS Patients with immobile leaflets identified on intra-operative/procedure echocardiography immediately post implantation between 2009-2020 were identified from an institutional database. All echocardiograms were reviewed de-novo to confirm immobile leaflets in the immediate post-implantation period. Identified cases were matched 1:2 to controls for age; sex; prosthesis position, model and size; and implantation approach (surgical vs. transcatheter). Nominal logistic regression and proportional hazards were used to analyze outcomes. RESULTS Thirty patients with immobile leaflets immediately post-bioprosthesis implantation were included. Clinical characteristics are summarized in the Table. Immobile leaflets were documented in procedural reports in only 18 (60%) patients. Moderate stenosis was present intraoperatively in 1 patient, none demonstrated ≥moderate regurgitation, and none resulted in immediate corrective action. In 3 (10%), valve re-intervention was required within 30 days due to symptomatic prosthesis dysfunction. Presence of restricted leaflet motion was associated with higher need for post-operative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use (odds-ratio 7.3, p = 0.02) and composite end-point of death, valve re-replacement, prosthesis thrombosis, or cardiac hospitalizations (risk ratio 2.1, p = 0.03, Figure). CONCLUSION Immobile leaflet(s) immediately post-bioprosthetic valve implantation is an uncommon, under-reported, and under-treated phenomenon. Even in the absence of significant prosthetic valve dysfunction, it can be associated with worse post-operative course as well as worse outcomes. Baseline characteristics Age 76 (67-84) Sex, male 10 (33%) Surgical approach 25 (83%) Aortic 5 (17%) Mitral 12 (40%) Tricuspid 12 (40%) Pulmonary 1 (3%) Re-intervention within 10 days 3 (10%) Numbers are presented as median (interquartile range) or number (percentage). Abstract Figure. Clinical outcome of stuck leaflets
Atrial coupling index by standard echocardiography in degenerative mitral regurgitation: incremental determinant of survival
Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Mayo Clinic Foundation Background Left atrial (LA) volume is linked to outcome in degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) but does not encompass LA function assessment. Thus, we ought to determine the prognostic role of left atrial coupling-index (LACI), as left atrial volume-index (LAVI) by Tissue-Doppler-Imaging a’ (TDI-a’), in a large cohort of DMR. Methods All consecutive 4792 patients (61 ± 16 years, 48% women) with isolated degenerative mitral valve disease diagnosed at Mayo Clinic 2003-2011, comprehensively characterized, in whom LAVI and TDI-a’ in sinus rhythm was prospectively measured in routine practice, was enrolled and their long-term survival analyzed. Results LACI (5.8 ± 3.7–T1 < 3.8; T2 3.8-6.3; T3 > 6.3) was significantly higher through different DMR grades (no, mild, moderate, severe DMR: 3.77 ± 2.26, 5.08 ± 2.95, 6.54 ± 3.74 and 7.84 ±4.29 respectively; p < 0.0001). Independent determinants of LA dysfunction assessed by LACI were age, E/e’, left-ventricle (LV) end-systolic-diameter, mitral-regurgitation (MR) grade, and LV ejection-fraction (all P ≤ 0.0001). LACI > 6 was independently associated with dyspnea, edema, more severe functional tricuspid-regurgitation and elevated pulmonary artery pressure, irrespective of age, sex, Charlson-comorbidity-index, ventricular function and MR severity. Total follow-up was 7.03 ± 3.0 years, during which 1146 (24%) underwent mitral-valve surgery (94% repair-6% replacement) and 880 (18%) died, 780 under medical treatment and 100 after surgery. Overall survival throughout follow-up (10-year 76 ± 1%) was strongly associated with LACI (88 ± 1% vs. 78 ± 1% and 62 ± 2% for LACI <3.8, 3.8-6.3 and ≥6.3, P < 0.0001) even adjusting comprehensively, including for DMR severity (adjusted-hazard-ratio 1.23[1.07-1.43] for LACI > 5.79, P = 0.005). Mortality under medical management was profoundly affected by LACI (adjusted-hazard-ratio 1.11[1.05-1.18] per 3 unit increment; 1.35[1.15-1.58] for LACI > 5.79 vs. ≤5.79, both P = 0.0002). Survival improved after mitral surgery (time-dependent adjusted-hazard-ratio 0.40[0.28-0.65], P < 0.0001) but remained humbly linked to LACI (10-year 93 ± 3% vs. 90 ± 2% and 80 ± 3% for LACI tertiles, P = 0.0008). Most importantly, LACI provided incremental prognostic information over LAVI and other conventional determinants of survival (P < 0.0001) with Net-reclassification-improvement vs. LAVI of 0.21 ± 0.02, P < 0.0001. Conclusion LA function assessed by LACI in routine practice, by conventional echocardiographic measurements, displays incremental and independent link to excess-mortality, considerable under medical management and partially alleviated by mitral surgery. Thus, LACI is a simple tool of crucial interest in DMR risk-stratification. Abstract Figure. LACI in DMR
International consensus statement on nomenclature and classification of the congenital bicuspid aortic valve and its aortopathy, for clinical, surgical, interventional and research purposes
Abstract This International Consensus Classification and Nomenclature for the congenital bicuspid aortic valve condition recognizes 3 types of bicuspid valves: 1. The fused type (right-left cusp fusion, right-non-coronary cusp fusion and left-non-coronary cusp fusion phenotypes); 2. The 2-sinus type (latero-lateral and antero-posterior phenotypes); and 3. The partial-fusion (forme fruste) type. The presence of raphe and the symmetry of the fused type phenotypes are critical aspects to describe. The International Consensus also recognizes 3 types of bicuspid valve-associated aortopathy: 1. The ascending phenotype; 2. The root phenotype; and 3. Extended phenotypes.
Summary: international consensus statement on nomenclature and classification of the congenital bicuspid aortic valve and its aortopathy, for clinical, surgical, interventional and research purposes
Abstract This International evidence-based nomenclature and classification consensus on the congenital bicuspid aortic valve and its aortopathy recognizes 3 types of bicuspid aortic valve: 1. Fused type, with 3 phenotypes: right-left cusp fusion, right-non cusp fusion and left-non cusp fusion; 2. 2-sinus type with 2 phenotypes: Latero-lateral and antero-posterior; and 3. Partial-fusion or forme fruste. This consensus recognizes 3 bicuspid-aortopathy types: 1. Ascending phenotype; root phenotype; and 3. extended phenotypes.
Long‐Term Survival of Patients With Left Ventricular Noncompaction
Background The prognosis of left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) remains elusive despite its recognition as a clinical entity for >30 years. We sought to identify clinical and imaging characteristics and risk factors for mortality in patients with LVNC. Methods and Results 339 adults with LVNC seen between 2000 and 2016 were identified. LVNC was defined as end‐systolic noncompacted to compacted myocardial ratio >2 (Jenni criteria) and end‐diastolic trough of trabeculation‐to‐epicardium (X):peak of trabeculation‐to‐epicardium (Y) ratio <0.5 (Chin criteria) by echocardiography; and end‐diastolic noncompacted:compacted ratio >2.3 (Petersen criteria) by magnetic resonance imaging. Median age was 47.4 years, and 46% of patients were female. Left ventricular ejection fraction <50% was present in 57% of patients and isolated apical noncompaction in 48%. During a median follow‐up of 6.3 years, 59 patients died. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02–1.06), left ventricular ejection fraction <50% (HR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.17–4.80), and noncompaction extending from the apex to the mid or basal segments (HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.21–3.68) were associated with all‐cause mortality. Compared with the expected survival for age‐ and sex‐matched US population, patients with LVNC had reduced overall survival ( P <0.001). However, patients with LVNC with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and patients with isolated apical noncompaction had similar survival to the general population. Conclusions Overall survival is reduced in patients with LVNC compared with the expected survival of age‐ and sex‐matched US population. However, survival rate in those with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and isolated apical noncompaction was comparable with that of the general population.
The mitral annulus disjunction of mitral valve prolapse: presentation and outcome
Abstract Background Mitral-annulus-disjunction (MAD), often described in mitral-valve-prolapse (MVP) patients, remains incompletely defined and its clinical outcome consequences are unknown. Objectives To assess MAD prevalence, clinical and echocardiographic characteristics, and independent impact on outcome in patients with isolated-MVP. Methods A cohort of 595 (65±16 years, 278 female) consecutive patients with MVP and comprehensive clinical, rhythmic and Doppler-echocardiographic characterization, was identified. Primary-endpoint was overall-survival, or occurrence of ventricular-arrhythmia. To eliminate clinical differences, we matched MAD-patients 1:1 with no-MAD based on propensity score for overall survival analysis using a greedy 5-to-1 digit-matching algorithm. Results MAD was frequent, present in 186 (31%) of MVP-patients and independently associated to bileaflet-MVP, leaflet-redundancy, younger-age, female-sex, enlarged left-ventricle-endsystolic-diameter and higher left-ventricle-ejection-fraction (all P≤0.04). Outcome primary-endpoint of survival after MVP diagnosis in matched-cohort (10-year 95±1%) was not associated with MAD presence (10-year 93±2% for no-MAD and 97±1% for MAD, P=0.4). Mortality was comparable for MAD (univariate-hazard-ratio 0.64 [0.25–1.65], P=0.4 vs. no-MAD), even adjusted-comprehensively including for MVP-characteristics (adjusted-hazard-ratio 1.17 [0.39–3.50], P=0.8). However, 220 (51%) MVP-patients were diagnosed ventricular-arrhythmia (161 with ventricular-tachycardia only) and long-term, MAD was associated with lower arrhythmia- and ventricular-tachycardia- overall freedom (adjusted-hazard-ratio for MAD 2.35 [1.75–3.15], P<0.0001 vs. no-MAD and 2.71 [1.93–3.82], P<0.0001 respectively). Hence, 10-year freedom of significant ventricular-arrhythmia in overall-cohort was severely reduced with MAD (41±4% vs. 62±3% for no-MAD). Conclusion In this unique MVP cohort, with arrhythmia and MAD comprehensively-characterized, MAD presence was frequent and independently associated to bileaflet-MVP and leaflet-redundancy. Long-term, MAD compared to no-MAD is not independently associated with higher-mortality but to reduced arrhythmia-freedom occurrence. Survival overall and by V arrhythmia Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Mayo Foundation
Aortic regurgitation is not created equal: outcomes of bicuspid versus tricuspid aortic valve regurgitation
Abstract Background Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is an important cause of AR; these patients belong to a young and male predominant population and are distinctively different from tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). However, the differences between BAV and TAV in AR have not been completely explored. Purpose To explore differences between patients with BAV and TAV in hemodynamically significant aortic regurgitation (AR). Methods Consecutive patients with ≥moderate-severe AR were retrospectively identified from 2006 to 2017. Results Of 798 patients (502 with TAV, mean age 67±14 years; 296 with BAV, mean age 46±14 years) followed for 6.1±3.6 years, 403 underwent AV surgery (AVS); 154 died during follow-up. BAV men (94%) tended to become symptomatic when left ventricle enlarged; TAV patients became symptomatic before left ventricular (LV) enlargement. During follow-up, BAV patients had lower mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.19; P<0.0001) and higher incidence of AVS (HR, 1.28; P=0.01) than TAV, which attenuated after adjusted on age, sex, comorbidities, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), functional class, and time-dependent AVS. In a propensity-matched cohort, differences of survival and incidence of AVS between BAV and TAV were not demonstrated. After a median of 6.3 (IQR: 3.3–9.3) years, 53 patients died post-AVS; TAV patients having class I surgical triggers had poor survival than TAV-non-class I patients and BAV patients with and without class I triggers (Figure). Class I triggers had no effect on BAV patients regarding post-AVS survival. LVEF<60% was associated with increased mortality in both TAV and BAV. Conclusions The correlation between larger LV size and symptomatic status only applied in BAV men. Patients with BAV and significant AR tended to have better survival and higher incidence of AVS, likely driven by inherent younger age and less comorbidity than patients with TAV. Class I surgical triggers had heavier negative impact on poor survival in TAV patients. The cutoff of LV dysfunction in AR may be LVEF 60%. Figure 1. Kaplan-Meier curves post-AVS Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None
Association of Echocardiographic Left Ventricular End-Systolic Volume and Volume-Derived Ejection Fraction With Outcome in Asymptomatic Chronic Aortic Regurgitation
Objective To comprehensively explore contemporary differences between bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) patients with chronic haemodynamically significant aortic regurgitation (AR). Methods Consecutive patients with chronic ≥moderate-severe AR from a tertiary referral centre (2006–2017) were included. All-cause mortality, surgical indications and aortic valve surgery (AVS) were analysed. Results Of 798 patients (296 BAV-AR, age 46±14 years; 502 TAV-AR, age 67±14 years, p<0.0001) followed for 5.5 (IQR: 2.9–9.2) years, 403 underwent AVS (repair in 96) and 154 died during follow-up. The 8-year AVS incidence was 60%±3% versus 53%±3% for BAV-AR and TAV-AR, respectively (p=0.014). The unadjusted (real-life) 8-year total survival was 93%±7% versus 71%±2% for BAV-AR and TAV-AR, respectively (p<0.0001), and became statistically insignificant after sole adjustment for age (p=0.14). The within-group relative risk of death in BAV-AR patients demonstrated a large age-dependent increase (two fold at 50–55 years, up to 10-fold at 70 years). The presence of baseline symptoms was significantly associated with death for both BAV-AR (p=0.039) and TAV-AR (p<0.0001), but the strength of the association decreased with age adjustment for BAV-AR (age-adjusted HR 2.43 (0.92–6.39), p=0.07) and not for TAV-AR (age-adjusted HR, 2.3 (1.6–3.3), p<0.0001). As compared with general population, TAV-AR exhibited baseline excess risk which further increased at left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <60% and left ventricular end-systolic dimension index (LVESDi) >20 mm/m2; similar thresholds were observed for BAV-AR patients. Conclusion BAV-AR patients were two decades younger than TAV-AR and underwent AVS more frequently, resulting in a considerable real-life survival advantage for BAV-AR that was determined primarily by age and not valve anatomy. Pragmatically, regardless of valve anatomy, patients with haemodynamically significant AR and age >50–55 years require a low-threshold for surgical referral to prevent symptom development where LVEF <60% and LVESDi >20 mm/m2 seem appropriate referral thresholds.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-risk Patients With Bicuspid Aortic Valve Stenosis