Functional performance and quality of life in high-risk comorbid patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation for symptomatic aortic valve stenosis

We assessed the impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on functional performance and quality of life (QoL) in a high-risk patient population with multiple comorbidities.

Between January 2009 and December 2014, 145 high-risk patients (EuroSCORE II 7.3% [4.9; 14.9]) with severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis (AS) underwent TAVI in a single centre. We prospectively evaluated New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), and QoL using the validated Dutch version of the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) descriptive assessment and a visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) at baseline, 30 days, as well as 6, 12, and 24 months after TAVI. All patients were eligible for analysis. New York Heart Association functional class improved significantly at 30-day, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up (P < 0.001 for all). The absolute 6MWD improved significantly at 30 days (+19.3 ± 8.2 m; P= 0.0499) and at 6 months (+23.3 ± 8.1 m; P = 0.0194). A favourable trend was maintained at 12 months (+17.1 ± 8.8 m; P = 0.1879), whereas at 24 months 6MWD was similar to baseline values. No significant change in the descriptive assessment of QoL (EQ5D) was observed, whereas the EQ-VAS showed a significant improvement in QoL up to 24 months (P < 0.0180 for all time-points).

In high-risk comorbid patients with symptomatic AS, TAVI results in a significant but temporary improvement of functional performance when assessed with objective measures of 6MWD but not of EQ-5D. Moreover, TAVI has a significant and sustained impact on subjective well-being and exercise capacity assessed with the EQ-VAS and NYHA score.