General Anesthesia Increased the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Kidney Injury in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

PURPOSE

To examine key impacts of anesthesia on new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute kidney injury (AKI) in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

METHODS

All consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral, transapical, and transaortic TAVR in Fuwai Hospital from 2012 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed and dichotomized into 2 groups: TAVR under conscious sedation (CS) and under general anesthesia (GA). The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality, stroke, AF, permanent pacemaker implantation, myocardial infarction, heart failure, high-grade atrioventricular block, and AKI at 1 year. Binary logistic regression and adjusted multilevel logistic regression were performed to analyze the predictors of AF and AKI.

RESULTS

A total of 107 patients were under CS and 66 patients under GA. No significant difference was observed in the composite endpoint (51.5% vs. 41.2%, GA vs. CS, P = .182) and ≥ mild paravalvular leakage (36.4% vs. 31.4%, GA vs. CS, P = .589) at 1 year. However, the GA group had a significantly higher rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (84.8% vs. 6.5%, P < .001), AKI (28.8% vs. 14.0%, P = .018), new-onset AF (15.2% vs. 5.5% at 1 year, P = .036). Multivariable analysis revealed GA to be the significant predictor of new-onset AF (odds ratio 3.237, 95% confidence interval 1.059 to 9.894, P = .039) and AKI (odds ratio 2.517, 95% confidence interval 1.013 to 6.250, P = .047).

CONCLUSION

GA was associated with higher rates of ICU admission, postoperative AKI, and new-onset AF. The results may provide new evidence that CS challenges universal GA.