Role of Routine Electrophysiological Study Performed During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement to Predict AV Block.

Background: Periprocedural electrophysiological (EP) testing may be useful to predict high degree atrioventricular block (HAVB) risk in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Objective: To determine whether pre- and immediate post-TAVR ECG and HV interval findings are predictive of HAVB.

Methods: Consecutive TAVR patients without prior pacemaker (PM) implantation underwent ECG and standardized HV interval measurements pre- and post-TAVR using the quadripolar catheter for rapid pacing. The primary outcome was HAVB >24 h after TAVR or ventricular pacing need RESULTS: Out of 97 included patients, 8 experienced the primary outcome (7 with HAVB and 1 with PM need). On univariate analysis, pre- and post-TAVR PR, post-TAVR HV, and Delta-HV intervals were predictors of the primary outcome. A Delta-HV interval ≥18 ms predicted HAVB with sensitivity = 50% and specificity = 90% (AUC = 0.708, PPV = 31%), while an HV interval ≥60 ms after TAVR had sensitivity = 63% and specificity = 79% (AUC = 0.681, PPV = 21%). None of the patients with a PR interval ≤180 ms post-TAVR experienced the primary outcome. Among patients with new-onset LBBB, an HV interval post-TAVR >65 ms was the only predictor of HAVB (AUC = 0.776, PPV = 33%, and NPV = 97%).

Conclusion: The yield of periprocedural EP assessment during TAVR is limited considering that about half of the at-risk patients fail to be identified. However, early periprocedural risk stratification may be more useful in the subset of patients with new-onset LBBB. Among ECG findings, a post-TAVR PR interval ≤180 ms identifies a subgroup at very low risk, independently of QRS interval and morphology.