Michael J. Mack M.D.

Makkar, R. R., S. H. Yoon, T. Chakravarty, S. R. Kapadia, A. Krishnaswamy, P. B. Shah, T. Kaneko, E. R. Skipper, M. Rinaldi, V. Babaliaros, S. Vemulapalli, A. Trento, W. Cheng, S. Kodali, M. J. Mack, M. B. Leon and V. H. Thourani (2021). “Association Between Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Bicuspid vs Tricuspid Aortic Stenosis and Mortality or Stroke Among Patients at Low Surgical Risk.” Jama 326(11): 1034-1044.

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IMPORTANCE: There are limited data on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for bicuspid aortic stenosis in patients at low surgical risk. OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of TAVR with a balloon-expandable valve for bicuspid vs tricuspid aortic stenosis in patients who are at low surgical risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Registry-based cohort study of patients undergoing TAVR at 684 US centers. Participants were enrolled in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapies Registry from June 2015 to October 2020. Among 159 661 patients (7058 bicuspid, 152 603 tricuspid), 37 660 patients (3243 bicuspid and 34 417 tricuspid) who were at low surgical risk (defined as STS risk score <3%) were included in the analysis. EXPOSURES: TAVR for bicuspid vs tricuspid aortic stenosis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Coprimary outcomes were 30-day and 1-year mortality and stroke. Secondary outcomes included procedural complications and valve hemodynamics. RESULTS: Among 159 661 patients (7058 bicuspid; 152 603 tricuspid), 3168 propensity-matched pairs of patients with bicuspid and tricuspid aortic stenosis at low surgical risk were analyzed (mean age, 69 years; 69.8% men; mean [SD] STS-predicted risk of mortality, 1.7% [0.6%] for bicuspid and 1.7% [0.7%] for tricuspid). There was no significant difference between the bicuspid and tricuspid groups' rates of death at 30 days (0.9% vs 0.8%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.18 [95% CI, 0.68-2.03]; P = .55) and at 1 year (4.6% vs 6.6%; HR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.55-1.02]; P = .06) or stroke at 30 days (1.4% vs 1.2%; HR, 1.14 [95% CI, 0.73-1.78]; P = .55) and at 1 year (2.0% vs 2.1%; HR 1.03 [95% CI, 0.69-1.53]; P = .89).There were no significant differences between the bicuspid and tricuspid groups in procedural complications, valve hemodynamics (aortic valve gradient: 13.2 mm Hg vs 13.5 mm Hg; absolute risk difference [RD], 0.3 mm Hg [95% CI, -0.9 to 0.3 mm Hg]), and moderate or severe paravalvular leak (3.4% vs 2.1%; absolute RD, 1.3% [95% CI, -0.6% to 3.2%]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this preliminary, registry-based study of propensity-matched patients at low surgical risk who had undergone TAVR for aortic stenosis, patients treated for bicuspid vs tricuspid aortic stenosis had no significant difference in mortality or stroke at 30 days or 1 year. Because of the potential for selection bias and absence of a control group treated surgically for bicuspid aortic stenosis, randomized trials are needed to adequately assess the efficacy and safety of transcatheter aortic valve replacement for bicuspid aortic stenosis in patients at low surgical risk.

Garcia, S., R. J. Cubeddu, R. T. Hahn, J. Ternacle, S. R. Kapadia, S. K. Kodali, V. H. Thourani, W. A. Jaber, C. R. Asher, S. Elmariah, R. Makkar, J. G. Webb, H. C. Herrmann, M. Lu, C. M. Devireddy, S. C. Malaisrie, C. R. Smith, M. J. Mack, P. Sorajja, J. L. Cavalcante, M. Goessl, G. R. Shroff, M. B. Leon and P. Pibarot (2021). “5-Year Outcomes Comparing Surgical Versus Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.” JACC Cardiovasc Interv 14(18): 1995-2005.

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OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare 5-year cardiovascular, renal, and bioprosthetic valve durability outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). BACKGROUND: Patients with severe AS and CKD undergoing TAVR or SAVR are a challenging, understudied clinical subset. METHODS: Intermediate-risk patients with moderate to severe CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/m(2)) from the PARTNER (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valve) 2A trial (patients randomly assigned to SAPIEN XT TAVR or SAVR) and SAPIEN 3 Intermediate Risk Registry were pooled. The composite primary outcome of death, stroke, rehospitalization, and new hemodialysis was evaluated using Cox regression analysis. Patients with and without perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) were followed through 5 years. A core laboratory-adjudicated analysis of structural valve deterioration and bioprosthetic valve failure was also performed. RESULTS: The study population included 1,045 TAVR patients (512 SAPIEN XT, 533 SAPIEN 3) and 479 SAVR patients. At 5 years, SAVR was better than SAPIEN XT TAVR (52.8% vs 68.0%; P = 0.04) but similar to SAPIEN 3 TAVR (52.8% vs 58.7%; P = 0.89). Perioperative AKI was more common after SAVR than TAVR (26.3% vs 10.3%; P < 0.001) and was independently associated with long-term outcomes. Compared with SAVR, bioprosthetic valve failure and stage 2 or 3 structural valve deterioration were significantly greater for SAPIEN XT TAVR (P < 0.05) but not for SAPIEN 3 TAVR. CONCLUSIONS: In intermediate-risk patients with AS and CKD, SAPIEN 3 TAVR and SAVR were associated with a similar risk for the primary endpoint at 5 years. AKI was more common after SAVR than TAVR, and SAPIEN 3 valve durability was comparable with that of surgical bioprostheses.

Ono, M., H. Kawashima, H. Hara, M. Mancone, M. J. Mack, D. R. Holmes, M. C. Morice, A. P. Kappetein, D. Thuijs, T. Noack, F. W. Mohr, P. M. Davierwala, Y. Onuma and P. W. Serruys (2021). “Impact of major infections on 10-year mortality after revascularization in patients with complex coronary artery disease.” Int J Cardiol Aug 8;S0167-5273(21)01223-7. [Epub ahead of print].

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BACKGROUND: The significant interaction between major infection and 5-year mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) for complex coronary artery disease (CAD) was observed previously. However, the very long-term outcomes beyond 5 years remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a subgroup analysis of the SYNTAX Extended Survival (SYNTAXES) trial, which is the extended follow-up of the randomized SYNTAX trial comparing PCI versus CABG in patients with three-vessel disease (3VD) or left-main CAD (LMCAD). Out of 1517 patients enrolled in the SYNTAX trial with available survival status from 5 to 10 years, 140 patients had experienced major infections and survived at 5 years (major infection group). From 5 to 10 years, the mortality of major infection group was 19.8% whereas the mortality of no major infection group was 15.1% (p = 0.157). After the adjustment of other clinical factors, the risk of mortality from 5 to 10 years did not significantly differ between major infection and no major infection groups (HR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.62-1.96; p = 0.740). When stratified by the presence or absence of periprocedural major infections, defined as a major infection within 60 days after index procedure, there was also no significant difference in 10-year mortality between two groups (30.8% vs. 24.5%; p = 0.057). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the initial association between major infections and 5 years mortality, postprocedural major infection was not evident in the 10 years follow-up, suggesting that the impact of major infection on mortality subsided over time beyond 5 years. TRIAL REGISTRATION: SYNTAXES ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT03417050 SYNTAX ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT00114972.

Kosmidou, I., J. Lindenfeld, W. T. Abraham, M. J. Rinaldi, S. R. Kapadia, V. Rajagopal, I. J. Sarembock, A. Brieke, P. Gaba, J. H. Rogers, B. Shahim, B. Redfors, Z. Zhang, M. J. Mack and G. W. Stone (2021). “Sex-Specific Outcomes of Transcatheter Mitral-Valve Repair and Medical Therapy for Mitral Regurgitation in Heart Failure.” JACC Heart Fail 9(9): 674-683.

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OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess the sex-specific outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) with 3+ and 4+ secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) treated with transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) plus guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) versus GDMT alone in the COAPT trial. BACKGROUND: The impact of sex in patients with HF and severe SMR treated with TMVr with the MitraClip compared with GDMT alone is unknown. METHODS: Patients were randomized 1:1 to TMVr versus GDMT alone. Two-year outcomes were examined according to sex. RESULTS: Among 614 patients, 221 (36.0%) were women. Women were younger than men and had fewer comorbidities, but reduced quality of life and functional capacity at baseline. In a joint frailty model accounting for the competing risk of death, the 2-year cumulative incidence of the primary endpoint of all HF hospitalizations (HFH) was higher in men compared with women treated with GDMT alone. However, the relative reduction in HFHs with TMVr was greater in men (HR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.34-0.54) than women (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.57-1.05) (P(interaction) = 0.002). A significant interaction between TMVr versus GDMT alone treatment and time was present for all HFHs in women (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.39-0.84, and HR: 1.39; 95% CI: 0.83-2.33 between 0-1 year and 1-2 years after randomization, respectively, P(interaction) = 0.007) but not in men (HR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.36-0.64, and HR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.21-0.51; P(interaction) = 0.16). Female sex was independently associated with a lower adjusted risk of death at 2 years (HR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.46-0.90; P = 0.011). TMVr consistently reduced 2-year mortality compared with GDMT alone, irrespective of sex (P(interaction) = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: In the COAPT trial, TMVr with the MitraClip resulted in improved clinical outcomes compared with GDMT alone, irrespective of sex. However, the impact of TMVr in reducing HFH was less pronounced in women compared with men beyond the first year after treatment. (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation [The COAPT Tria] [COAPT]; NCT01626079).

Shahim, B., O. Ben-Yehuda, S. Chen, B. Redfors, M. V. Madhavan, S. Kar, D. S. Lim, F. M. Asch, N. J. Weissman, D. J. Cohen, S. V. Arnold, M. Liu, J. Lindenfeld, W. T. Abraham, M. J. Mack and G. W. Stone (2021). “Impact of Diabetes on Outcomes After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair in Heart Failure: COAPT Trial.” JACC Heart Fail 9(8): 559-567.

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OBJECTIVES: This paper sought to determine whether diabetes influences the outcomes of transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) in patients with heart failure (HF) and secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR). BACKGROUND: Diabetes is associated with worse outcomes in patients with HF. METHODS: The COAPT (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients With functional Mitral Regurgitation) trial randomized HF patients with 3+ or 4+ SMR to MitraClip plus guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) versus GDMT alone. Two-year outcomes were evaluated in patients with versus without diabetes. RESULTS: Of 614 patients, 229 (37.3%) had diabetes. Diabetic patients had higher 2-year rates of death than those without diabetes (40.8% vs 32.3%, respectively; adjusted P = 0.04) and tended to have higher rates of HF hospitalization (HFH) (HFH: 50.1% vs 43.0%, respectively; adjusted P = 0.07). TMVr reduced the 2-year rate of death consistently in patients with (30.3% vs 49.9%, respectively; adjusted HR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.32 to 0.81) and without (27.0% vs 38.3%, respectively; adjusted HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.39-0.84) diabetes (P(interaction) = 0.72). TMVr also consistently reduced the 2-year rates of HFH in patients with (32.2% vs 54.8%, respectively; adjusted HR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.28-0.58) and without (41.5% vs 59.0%, respectively; adjusted HR: 0.54: 95% CI 0.35-0.82) diabetes (P(interaction) = 0.33). Greater movements in quality-of-life (QOL) and exercise capacity occurred with TMVr than with GDMT alone, regardless of diabetic status. CONCLUSIONS: Among HF patients with severe SMR in the COAPT trial, those with diabetes had a worse prognosis. Nonetheless, diabetic and nondiabetic patients had consistent reductions in the 2-year rates of death and HFH and improvements in QOL and functional capacity following TMVr treatment using the MitraClip than with maintenance on GDMT alone. (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation [COAPT]; NCT01626079).