Background: Little is known of the prognostic significance of mitral regurgitation (MR) on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), the impact of TAVR on MR severity, and the variables associated with possible post-TAVR improvement in MR. We evaluated these issues in a multicenter registry of patients undergoing CoreValve Revalving System-TAVR.
Methods and results: Among 1007 consecutive patients, 670 (66.5%), 243 (24.1%), and 94 (9.3%) presented with no/mild, moderate, and severe MR, respectively. At 1 month after TAVR, patients with severe or moderate MR showed comparable mortality rates (odds ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.7-1.55; P=0.2), but both were significantly higher compared with patients with mild/no MR (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.78-3.28; P<0.001; and odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3; P=0.02, respectively). One-year mortality was also similar between patients with severe and those with moderate MR (hazard ratio, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.94-2.4; P=0.06) and still significantly higher compared with patients with mild/no MR (hazard ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-3.41; P<0.001; and hazard ratio, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2; P=0.03, respectively). Severe pulmonary hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and MR more than mild, but not an improvement of ≥1 grade in MR severity, were independent predictors of mortality at 1 year. At 1 year, an improved MR was observed in 47% and 35% of patients with severe and moderate MR, respectively. The rate of low implantation was consistent across groups with improved, unchanged, or worsened MR. A functional type of MR and the absence of severe pulmonary hypertension and atrial fibrillation independently predicted the improvement in MR severity.
Conclusions: Baseline MR greater than mild is associated with higher mortality after CoreValve Revalving System-TAVR. A significant improvement in MR was more likely in patients with functional MR and without severe pulmonary hypertension or atrial fibrillation. The improvement in MR did not independently predict mortality.
Keywords: aortic valve; aortic valve stenosis; mitral valve insufficiency.