Abstract
Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has enhanced outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). However, the additional effect of introducing outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OCR) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated how OCR participation is associated with post-discharge all-cause mortality among patients who underwent TAVI.
Methods and Results: A retrospective cohort study involving 1,446 patients with AS who underwent elective TAVI was conducted. The patients were classified into the OCR participation group (n=100) and the non-participation group (n=1,346) based on whether they participated in OCR after discharge. Propensity score matching was conducted to adjust for confounding factors. The mean follow-up period was 2.9±2.0 years. Patients undergoing OCR experienced a lower all-cause mortality rate (log-rank test P=0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that OCR participation was independently associated with all-cause mortality after discharge, even after adjusting for known prognostic factors.
Conclusions: OCR participation after TAVI in patients with AS is an independent prognostic factor of life outcome. Cardiac rehabilitation teams should actively encourage patients to participate in OCR.
