title: Effect on outcomes and exercise performance of anemia in patients with aortic stenosis who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to determine the causes and impact of anemia and hemoglobin level on functional status, physical performance, and quality of life in the preprocedural evaluation and follow-up of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) candidates. A total of 438 patients who underwent TAVR were included. Anemia was defined as a hemoglobin level <12 g/dl in women and <13 g/dl in men. Before TAVR, anemia was encountered in 282 patients (64.4%). A potential treatable cause of anemia was detected in 90.4% of patients and was attributed to iron deficiency in 53% of them. The occurrence of anemia was an independent predictor of poorer performance in the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), a lower Duke Activity Status Index score, and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaires overall, clinical, and social limitation scores (p <0.05 for all). A lower hemoglobin level was associated with a higher prevalence of New York Heart Association class III to IV (p <0.001) and correlated negatively with the results of all functional tests (p <0.02 for all). At follow-up, anemia was found in 62% of patients and was associated with poorer performance in the 6MWT (p = 0.023). A lower hemoglobin level after TAVR was a predictor of poorer New York Heart Association class (p = 0.020) and correlated negatively with the distance walked in the 6MWT (r = -0.191, p = 0.004) and Duke Activity Status Index score (r = -0.158, p = 0.011) at 6-month follow-up. In conclusion, anemia was very common in TAVR candidates and was attributed to iron deficiency in more than half of them. The presence of anemia and lower hemoglobin levels determined poorer functional status before and after the TAVR procedure. These results highlight the importance of implementing appropriate measures for the diagnosis and treatment of this frequent co-morbidity to improve both the accuracy of preprocedural evaluation and outcomes of TAVR candidates.
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: DeLarochellière
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urena
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Ignacio J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Amat-Santos
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Henrique B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Allende
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laflamme
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laflamme
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Paradis
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dumont
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Siamak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DeLarochellière
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Côté
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Vinçent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laroche
authors.affiliation: Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: josep.rodes@criucpq.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodés-Cabau
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D065467:Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement