Abstract
In recent years, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has gained attention as a treatment for aortic stenosis (AS). While the efficacy of TAVI has been demonstrated, the American College of Cardiology dataset reports that 14.3% of patients were readmitted for heart failure and 23.7% died within one year after TAVI. Atherosclerosis are predictors of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality, and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) are widely used to assess these conditions. However, the relationship between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and mid-term CV outcomes after TAVI remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the association between pre-TAVI ABI/baPWV measurements and post-TAVI CV events. The study included 128 consecutive patients who underwent ABI/baPWV measurements prior to TAVI. The mean follow-up period was 2 years and 10 months, during which 36 patients (28%) experienced CV events. The group with events was significantly older, higher STS scores and baPWV values. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis identified baPWV as an independent prognostic factor. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that the group with baPWV ≥ 1,683 cm/s had a significantly higher incidence of CV events (log-rank p < 0.001, chi-square: 20.3). Pre-TAVI baPWV measurement was significantly associated with post-TAVI CV events and is considered a clinically useful indicator.
