Prognostic impact of permanent pacemaker implantation in patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction following transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background. Data are limited regarding the clinical impact of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) in patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The aim of this study was to determine the impact of new PPI in patients with baseline low LVEF at 2-year follow-up after TAVR. Methods. A total of 659 patients undergoing TAVR between January 2013 and December 2015 were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the need for PPI after TAVR. These patients were further divided by their baseline LVEF: low LVEF (≤50%) and preserved LVEF (>50%). Results. A total of 104 patients (15.8%) needed PPI following TAVR. After a median follow-up of 19.1 months (interquartile range, 11.4-24.4 months), overall and cardiovascular survival showed no significant differences between new PPI and no PPI (overall, log-rank P=.94; cardiovascular, log-rank P=.51). Nonetheless, patients requiring PPI who had low LVEF had higher cardiovascular mortality compared to patients with low LVEF who didn’t need PPI (log-rank P<.001). Multivariable Cox hazard model demonstrated that patients with new PPI and low LVEF had higher 2-year cardiovascular mortality after TAVR (hazard ratio, 5.76; P<.001). Conclusion. New PPI following TAVR was not associated with overall survival or cardiovascular survival difference at 2 years. However, receiving a new PPI in the setting of low LVEF adversely impacts mid-term cardiovascular survival.