Measures of right ventricular function after transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement

OBJECTIVES: Describe changes in measures of right ventricular (RV) function in patients treated for aortic stenosis using open-chest surgery (SAVR) or transcatheter treatment (TAVR). METHODS: Patients in the Nordic Aortic Valve Intervention (NOTION) trial were randomized 1: 1 to TAVR (n = 114) or SAVR (n = 106). Echocardiography was performed at baseline and 3 and 12 months post-procedure. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC) were used as measures of longitudinal and transverse RV contraction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) were recorded as measures of LV function. Association to NYHA class was examined. RESULTS: There were no differences in echocardiographic measurements between TAVR and SAVR at baseline. In the SAVR group, TAPSE was reduced after 3 months (2.4 +/- 0.5 cm vs 1.6 +/- 0.4 cm; P < 0.001), and 12 months (2.4 +/- 0.5 cm vs 1.7 +/- 0.4 cm; P < 0.001). RVFAC was reduced after 3 months (44% +/- 11% vs 39% +/- 10%; P = 0.001), but recovered at 12 months (43% +/- 10%; P = 0.39). AVPD lateral increased during follow-up (1.4 +/- 0.3 cm vs 1.6 +/- 0.4 cm (P = 0.001) and 1.7 +/- 0.4 cm, respectively; P < 0.001), whereas AVPD medial remained stable (baseline vs 3 months: P = 0.06 and baseline vs 12 months: P = 0.59). In the TAVR group, all echocardiographic measures remained unchanged from baseline to 12 months postoperatively. We found no association between echocardiographic changes and NYHA class. CONCLUSIONS: TAPSE and AVPD lateral differed between TAVR and SAVR at 3 and 12 months follow-up, but these findings were not related to any changes in NYHA class. These observations indicate that following SAVR, echocardiographic changes may not reflect right ventricular function, but merely a change in the physiological conditions.