Staging Aortic Stenosis Based on Cardiac Damage: A New Tool for Risk Prediction, Clinical Decision-Making, and Trial Design.

Staging based on extra-valvular cardiac damage is an intuitive approach to categorizing patients with aortic stenosis (AS) that is easily applied using widely available echocardiographic tools. As discussed in this review, it has been shown to be a powerful tool for risk stratification that complements conventional approaches. The original and most widely used framework identifies stage 0 when there is AS without additional cardiac damage; stage 1 when there is left ventricular damage (hypertrophy, systolic or diastolic dysfunction with evidence of elevated filling pressures); stage 2 when there is mitral dysfunction (moderate or greater mitral regurgitation, typically secondary) or left atrial abnormalities (left atrial enlargement or atrial fibrillation); stage 3 when there is pulmonary hypertension and/or moderate or greater tricuspid regurgitation (typically secondary); and stage 4 when there is moderate or greater right ventricular dysfunction.

Sex differences in pre- and post-surgical left ventricular remodelling and outcomes in primary mitral regurgitation.

Aims: Studies suggest that females have worse post-surgical left ventricular (LV) reverse remodelling and clinical outcomes than males in primary mitral regurgitation (MR). These studies were retrospective, used linear dimensions of the LV, and did not account for MR severity. This study is to determine if there are sex differences with respect to pre- and post-surgical LV remodelling and clinical outcomes.

Acute Valve Syndrome in Aortic Stenosis.

Background: To describe the impact of clinical presentation among patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods: We analyzed a real-world dataset including patients from 29 US hospitals (egnite Database, egnite). Patients over 18 years old with moderate or greater AS undergoing AVR were included.

Cardiac Damage Staging Predicts Outcomes in Aortic Valve Stenosis After Aortic Valve Replacement: Meta-Analysis.

Background: The prognostic value of cardiac damage staging classification based on the extent of extravalvular damage has been proposed in moderate/severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the association of cardiac damage staging with mortality across the spectrum of patients with AS following aortic surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods: We conducted a pooled meta-analysis of Kaplan-Meier-derived reconstructed time-to-event data from studies published through February 2023.

Self-Expanding or Balloon-Expandable TAVR in Patients with a Small Aortic Annulus.

Background: Patients with severe aortic stenosis and a small aortic annulus are at risk for impaired valvular hemodynamic performance and associated adverse cardiovascular clinical outcomes after transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods: We randomly assigned patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and an aortic-valve annulus area of 430 mm or less in a 1:1 ratio to undergo TAVR with either a self-expanding supraannular valve or a balloon-expandable valve. The coprimary end points, each assessed through 12 months, were a composite of death, disabling stroke, or rehospitalization for heart failure (tested for noninferiority) and a composite end point measuring bioprosthetic-valve dysfunction (tested for superiority).

Echocardiographic Outcomes With Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation in Prohibitive Surgical Risk Patients.

Background: The CLASP IID randomized trial (Edwards PASCAL TrAnScatheter Valve RePair System Pivotal Clinical Trial) demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the PASCAL system for mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) in patients at prohibitive surgical risk with significant symptomatic degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR).

Objectives: This study describes the echocardiographic methods and outcomes from the CLASP IID trial and analyzes baseline variables associated with residual mitral regurgitation (MR) ≤1+.

Methods: An independent echocardiographic core laboratory assessed echocardiographic parameters based on American Society of Echocardiography guidelines focusing on MR mechanism, severity, and feasibility of M-TEER.

One-Year Outcomes From the CLASP IID Randomized Trial for Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: The CLASP IID (Edwards PASCAL TrAnScatheter Valve RePair System Pivotal Clinical) trial is the first randomized controlled trial comparing the PASCAL system and the MitraClip system in prohibitive risk patients with significant symptomatic degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR).

Objectives: The study sought to report primary and secondary endpoints and 1-year outcomes for the full cohort of the CLASP IID trial.

Methods: Prohibitive-risk patients with 3+/4+ DMR were randomized 2:1 (PASCAL:MitraClip).

1-Year Outcomes of Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Anatomically Complex Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation Patients.

Background: Favorable 6-month outcomes from the CLASP IID Registry (Edwards PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system pivotal clinical trial) demonstrated that mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with the PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system is safe and beneficial for treating prohibitive surgical risk degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) patients with complex mitral valve anatomy.

Objectives: The authors sought to assess 1-year safety, echocardiographic and clinical outcomes from the CLASP IID Registry.

Methods: Patients with 3+ or 4+ DMR who were at prohibitive surgical risk, had complex mitral valve anatomy based on the MitraClip Instructions for Use, and deemed suitable for treatment with the PASCAL system were enrolled prospectively.

The Mortality Burden of Untreated Aortic Stenosis.

Background: The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines recommend the assessment and grading of severity of aortic stenosis (AS) as mild, moderate, or severe, per echocardiogram, and recommend aortic valve replacement (AVR) when the AS is severe.

Objectives: The authors sought to describe mortality rates across the entire spectrum of untreated AS from a contemporary, large, real-world database.

Methods: We analyzed a deidentified real-world data set including 1,669,536 echocardiographic reports (1,085,850 patients) from 24 U.

Association of Depression and Cognitive Dysfunction With Patient-Centered Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Depression and cognitive dysfunction (CD) are not routinely screened for in patients before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and their association with postprocedural outcomes is poorly understood. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of depression and CD in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR and evaluate their association with mortality and quality of life.

Methods: We analyzed a prospective, multicenter TAVR registry that systematically screened patients for preexisting depression and CD with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and Mini-Cog, respectively.

The relationship between mitral regurgitant severity, symptoms, and exercise capacity in primary degenerative mitral regurgitation.

Although it is assumed that more severe MR is associated with a greater burden of symptoms and lower exercise capacity, the relationship between symptoms, exercise capacity, and mitral regurgitant severity has not been well studied. We prospectively studied 67 (63 ± 11 years, 72% male) patients with at least mild degenerative MR and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 50% who underwent stress echocardiography, CMR, and evaluation with the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy questionnaire (KCCQ). Symptoms and exercise capacity were evaluated in the context of MR severity.

Cardiac Damage and Quality of Life After Aortic Valve Replacement in the PARTNER Trials.

Background: The extent of extravalvular cardiac damage is associated with increased risk of adverse events among patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Objectives: The goal was to describe the association of cardiac damage on health status before and after AVR.

Methods: Patients from the PARTNER (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves) 2 and 3 trials were pooled and classified by echocardiographic cardiac damage stage at baseline and 1 year as previously described (stage 0-4).

Aortic Stenosis: Risk Stratification and Timing of Surgery.

Purpose Of Review: This review summarizes the current management of patients with newly diagnosed aortic stenosis.

Recent Findings: Recent developments include detection of early myocardial dysfunction using serum B-type natriuretic peptide levels and global longitudinal strain, as well as ongoing trials of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in asymptomatic patients and patients with moderate aortic stenosis complicated by symptoms or left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Given the high mortality associated with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, all symptomatic patients should be referred for aortic valve replacement.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Patients With Anatomically Complex Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair is safe and effective in treating degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) patients at prohibitive surgical risk, but outcomes in complex mitral valve anatomy patients vary.

Objectives: The PASCAL IID registry assessed safety, echocardiographic, and clinical outcomes with the PASCAL system in prohibitive risk patients with significant symptomatic DMR and complex mitral valve anatomy.

Methods: Patients in the prospective, multicenter, single-arm registry had 3+ or 4+ DMR, were at prohibitive surgical risk, presented with complex anatomic features based on the MitraClip instructions for use, and were deemed suitable for the PASCAL system by a central screening committee.

Professional Preferences and Perceptions of Cardiology Among Internal Medicine Residents: Temporal Trends Over the Past Decade.

Importance: Internal medicine residents' professional development preferences were discordant with their perceptions of cardiology in a survey circulated a decade ago; no contemporary data exist. This information is important for effective recruitment and retention of a highly talented and diverse future cardiology workforce.

Objective: To identify residents' professional development preferences and cardiology perceptions, in relation to specialty choice, and compare the findings with those from a decade prior.