The QRS frontal plane axis changes during left bundle branch block after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is common after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and associated with a left or normal QRS axis. We aim to assess the QRS frontal plane axis shift changes during LBBB after TAVR and determine if the risk of procedure-related high degree atrioventricular block (AVB) is affected by QRS axis shift changes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a retrospective single-center study of 720 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR, 141 (19.6%) with normal baseline QRS duration developed a new LBBB after TAVR and constituted the study group. Most patients (59.6%) were females and the mean age of the cohort was 81.2 ± 6 years.

RESULTS

As compared with the baseline QRS axis before TAVR, the occurrence of LBBB was associated with a leftward QRS axis shift (by 40 ± 28.3°) in 73% of the study patients and a rightward (by 18.6 ± 19.4°) or no change in QRS axis in 25.6% and 1.4% of the study patients, respectively. A left QRS axis (-30°) was observed in 14.9% and 38.3% of the study patients before and after TAVR, respectively. The group of patients exhibiting a rightward or no QRS axis shift had a greater incidence of high degree AVB than the group of patients exhibiting a leftward QRS axis shift (18.4% vs. 6.8%, p = .056).

CONCLUSION

Although post TAVR-LBBB is associated with a leftward QRS axis shift in most patients, a non-negligible proportion of patients (27%) exhibited a rightward or no QRS axis shift. The latter group tend to have a higher risk of developing high degree AVB.