Incidence, predictors, and prognostic impact of rehospitalization after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

AIMS: Despite rehospitalization being common after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), an in-depth analysis on this topic is missing. This study sought to report on the incidence, predictors, and prognostic impact of rehospitalization within 1 year following TAVI.

METHODS AND RESULTS: All consecutive patients treated with TAVI between 2016 and 2020 in East Denmark were included. Medical records of all patients were reviewed to validate rehospitalizations up to 1 year after discharge from the index admission. The study population consisted of 1397 patients, of whom 615 (44%) had an unplanned rehospitalization within the first year post-TAVI. The rehospitalization incidence rate was three-fold higher in the early period (within 30 days) compared with the late period (30 days to 1 year; 2.5 vs. 0.8 per patient-year, respectively; P < 0.001). Predictors of early unplanned rehospitalization were procedure-related complications and prior stroke, whereas late unplanned rehospitalization was associated with preexisting comorbidities. Predictors of heart failure (HF) rehospitalization included ischaemic heart disease, the extent of cardiac damage, atrial fibrillation, and New York Heart Association class at baseline. HF rehospitalization within 30 days and 1 year post-TAVI was associated with a markedly increased 1- and 5-year mortality risk [hazard ratio (HR) of 4.3 and 3.2 for 1-year mortality and HR of 3.2 and 2.9 for 5-year mortality, respectively; P< 0.001].

CONCLUSIONS: Rehospitalization after TAVI is frequent in real-world practice. Early rehospitalization is mostly procedure related, whereas late rehospitalization is related to preexisting comorbidities. HF rehospitalization is associated with poor long-term survival and could be validated as a prognostically relevant endpoint for TAVI trials.