Effect of antecedent statin usage on conduction disturbances and arrhythmias after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background: Post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) conduction disturbances and atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated with markedly worse short- and long-term prognosis. Statins have multiple pleotropic effects that may be beneficial in mitigating the risk of these procedural complications as has been found for various other cardiac procedures and surgeries. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected on consecutive patients in the Yale New Haven Health TAVR Registry who did not have a prior pacemaker, had at least 1 pre- and post-TAVR electrocardiogram, and did not have a change to their statin regimen during the index hospitalization. The primary endpoint was the composite of new pacemaker placement, new AF, and other new conduction disturbances evaluated at 7 days post-TAVR. Results: Between, July 2012 and August 2019, 612 patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 162 patients were not on antecedent statins, and 450 were (28 low-intensity, 225 moderate-intensity, and 197 high-intensity). After 1:1 propensity matching, 99 patients on moderate-/high-intensity statins were matched to 99 patients not on antecedent statins. At 7 days, there was no significant difference in the occurrence of the primary endpoint (57 % statin users vs 46 % nonstatin users; p = 0.16). There was a trend toward increased conduction disturbances 7 days after TAVR in statin users (56 % vs 42 %; p = 0.07), but rates of AF (5 % vs 8 %; p = 0.39) and pacemaker placement (9 % vs 15 %; p = 0.20) were numerically lower in statin users. There was no significant difference in persistent conduction disturbances (21 % vs 18 %; p = 0.59). Conclusions: Statins do not appear to reduce the risk of post-TAVR AF or conduction abnormalities in this small retrospective study.