The impact of ventricular remodeling on quality-of-life outcomes after Transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Among patients with aortic stenosis, ventricular remodeling by hypertrophy can limit the augmentation of flow with exertion, even after valve intervention. However, the effect of hypertrophy on quality of life (QoL) improvement has not been studied. We aimed to determine the effect of ventricular hypertrophy on QoL outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods: All patients undergoing TAVR from 2011 to 2021 at our institution were included. Groups were divided into none/mild ventricular hypertrophy (non-remodeled, NR) and moderate/severe left ventricular hypertrophy (VH) according to guideline-recommended cut-offs for left ventricular (LV) wall thickness. The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) was utilized to assess QoL; primary outcome was KCCQ change <5 from baseline to 30 days and 1 year.

Results: We analyzed 679 patients (NR: N = 389, VH: N = 290). Groups differed by septal thickness (1.12 cm vs. 1.44 cm, p < 0.001), posterior wall thickness (1.08 cm vs. 1.33 cm, p < 0.001), and LV internal diastolic diameter (4.34 cm vs. 4.19 cm, p = 0.006). The primary outcome was similar between NR and VH at 30 days (31.6 % vs. 28.6 %, p = 0.449) and 1 year (27.7 % vs. 21.5 %, p = 0.217). NR and VH experienced similar proportions of worsening, no change, or small, moderate, and large improvements in KCCQ score. Both groups experienced similar domain score changes and New York Heart Association class improvement. A subgroup analysis of VH patients did not reveal interaction with cavity size or stroke volume.

Conclusion: Patients with significant ventricular remodeling by hypertrophy and aortic stenosis have similar QoL changes after intervention compared to patients without significant remodeling.