The prognostic significance of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and the potential for reversibility in the setting of aortic stenosis (AS) have been debated. We examined the clinical correlates and prognostic significance of PH in high risk elderly patients with symptomatic severe AS undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (AVI). AVI was performed in 143 patients. Adequate echocardiographic estimation of baseline pulmonary artery systolic pressure was available in 115 (80%). Patients were divided into 3 groups according to baseline pulmonary artery pressure estimated by transthoracic echocardiogram: I: <30 mmHg, II: 30 –50 mmHg and III: >50 mmHg. Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up was obtained at 1, 6 and 12 months after AVI. Group I consisted of 17 patients (15%), group II 58 patients (50%) and group III 40 patients (35%). At baseline the three groups were similar in terms of age, functional status, presence of severe pulmonary disease, aortic valve area and mean gradient. Patients with severe PH (group III) were more likely to have left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF <50%) than patients with mild to moderate PH (groups I and II) (52% vs. 21%, p=0.002) and had more severe mitral regurgitation (grade ≥ 3 in 68% vs. 41%, p =0.0002). At one month, systolic pulmonary artery pressure fell significantly in group III (11.0 ± 14.3 mmHg, p=0.0008) and this reduction was maintained at 6 months. However, the changes in group I (increase of 7.1 ± 8.7 mmHg, p=0.07) and group II (decrease of 0.9 ± 9.3 mmHg, p=0.53) were not significant. Mortality at one year following AVI was 21%, but was not related to severity of PH. Using group III as a reference, hazard ratios were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.24 –2.9) for group I and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.4 –1.9) for group II. In elderly patients with severe AS treated with transcatheter AVI, severe PH is associated with more depressed left ventricular function and more severe mitral regurgitation. Severe PH is associated with a significant and greater fall in pulmonary pressure following AVI and does not influence one year survival.
Prognostic Significance of Left Ventricular Fibrosis in Patients With Congenital Bicuspid Aortic Valve