Predictors and outcomes of acute, sub-acute and early stroke following transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Abstract Background Stroke is one of the most devastating complications after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The recent third Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC-3) proposes new stroke terminology according to time between TAVI and stroke onset. Purpose We aimed to identify predictors and assessed mortality in patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI complicated by acute, sub-acute and early stroke. Methods Patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI were included in a global patient level database. Acute stroke was defined as stroke occurring ≤24 hours after the index procedure. Sub-acute stroke was defined as stroke occurring between >1 day and ≤30 days and early stroke as >30 and ≤365 days following TAVI, according to VARC-3. We identified predictors for these complications using multivariate logistic regression analysis and assessed mortality outcomes in these patients. Results A total of 11230 patients underwent transfemoral TAVI. Mean age was 81.5±7.0 years, 58% was female and median STS-PROM score was 6.5% (4.0%-13.2%). A total of 405 (3.6%) experienced stroke during the first year after TAVI. Of these 93 (23%) had acute stroke, 195 (46%) sub-acute stroke and 117 (27%) early stroke. One year mortality was highest after acute stroke (56.9%), followed by sub-acute stroke (41.7%), and early stroke (29.0%), but one-year mortality in all stroke patients was higher than in non-stroke patients (40.5% vs 15.8%, p<0.001). Glomerular filtration rate was an independent predictor for acute stroke (odds ratio [OR] 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9–1.0, p=0.03). Previous cerebrovascular events independently predicted sub-acute stroke (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4–3.1, p=0.001). Independent predictors for early stroke were age (OR 1.0 per year, 95% CI 1.0–1.0, p=0.04) and peripheral vascular disease (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4–3.0, p<0.001). Conclusions Patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI complicated by stroke showed higher one-year mortality than non-stroke patients. Earlier timing of post-TAVI stroke was associated with increased mortality. Acute stroke was predicted by renal impairment; sub-acute stroke by previous cerebrovascular events and early stroke by age and peripheral vascular disease, suggesting different pathways leading to stroke in these patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Hartstichting