Life After the Valve, Analyzing Post-Procedural Anemia and Mortality in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Patients

Introduction: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) has become the primary therapeutic option for many patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). As a result, anemia is a prevalent co-morbidity amongst the TAVR population. Recent studies have demonstrated pre-procedural anemia is associated with increased long-term mortality in TAVR patients. However, the comparison of TAVR patients’ post-procedural anemia and its effect on mortality has not been fully investigated. Methods: Retrospective analysis of electronic medical records from 2018-2021 at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Jesse Brown VA Medical Center identified TAVR patients. Primary outcomes included all-cause mortality and significant bleeding at 6-months and 12-months post-TAVR. Results: We included 160 patients in the analysis. They were 122 males, 56.88% non-white, and an average age of 73.88. At 6-months, patients who experienced all-cause mortality had an average hemoglobin of 9.85 (g/dL) compared to an average hemoglobin of 11.31 in those patients that survived (p = 0.020). There was no significant difference in major bleeding events between the two groups (p = 0.974) as well as no significant difference in past-medical history, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia (HLD), diabetes mellitus, history of stroke and history of myocardial infarction. At 12-months, patients who experienced all-cause mortality had an average hemoglobin of 10.18 compared to an average hemoglobin of 11.36 in those patients that survived (p = 0.014). There was no significant difference in major bleeding events (p = 0.753) and no significant difference in past-medical history, except for hyperlipidemia. The prevalence of HLD was 59.09% in those that experienced all-cause mortality compared to 78.72% in those that did not (p = 0.045). Conclusions: Our results suggest that patients with lower hemoglobin levels after TAVR are at a greater risk of all-cause mortality compared to those with higher hemoglobin levels. These patients may benefit from closer follow-up after the procedure.