Predicting permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A contemporary meta-analysis of 981,168 patients.

BACKGROUND

Heart block requiring permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation is a relatively frequent complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to perform a contemporary meta-analysis to provide an updated assessment of clinically useful predictors of PPM implantation post-TAVR.

METHODS

Medline and EMBASE searches were performed to include all studies reporting PPM post-TAVR between 2015 and 2020. Pertinent data were extracted from the studies for further analysis. RevMan was used to create forest plots and calculate risk ratios (RRs).

RESULTS

We evaluated 41 variables from 239 studies with a total of 981,168 patients. From this cohort, 17.4% received a PPM following TAVR. Strong predictors for PPM implant were right bundle branch block (RBBB) (RR 3.12; <.001) and bifascicular block (RR 2.40; = .002). Intermediate factors were chronic kidney disease (CKD) (RR 1.53; <.0001) and first-degree atrioventricular block (FDAVB) (RR 1.44; <.001). Weak factors (RR 1-1.50; <.05) were male gender, age ≥80 years, body mass index ≥25, diabetes mellitus (DM), atrial fibrillation (AF), and left anterior fascicular block (LAFB). These factors along with increased left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) area (>435 mm) and/or aortic annulus diameter (>24.4 mm) were incorporated to propose a new scoring system to stratify patients into high- and low-risk groups.

CONCLUSION

Male gender, age ≥80 years, FDAVB, RBBB, AF, DM, CKD, Medtronic CoreValve, transfemoral TAVR, increased LVOT, and aortic annulus diameter were significant predictors of post-TAVR PPM implantation. Preprocedural assessment should consider these factors to guide clinical decision-making before TAVR. Validation of our scoring system is warranted.