Effect of a restrictive pacemaker implantation strategy on mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Objectives: We sought to assess the safety of a restrictive permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) strategy after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) as compared to a liberal strategy.

Background: Conduction disturbances resulting in PPI are common after TAVI. However, conduction disturbances may be transient and PPI may be superfluous in some patients.

Methods: Until August 2015, we performed PPI in all patients with new complete left bundle branch block (LBBB, QRS > 120 milliseconds) or higher degree atrioventricular (AV) blocks (liberal strategy). From September 2015 onwards, LBBB established an indication for PPI only in the presence of new-onset AV block (PQ > 200 milliseconds) (restrictive strategy). We analyzed the impact of the restrictive strategy on pacemaker implantation rate, duration of hospital stay, and 1-year mortality.

Results: Between January 2014 and December 2016, 383 consecutive, pacemaker-naive patients underwent TAVI with the liberal PPI strategy and subsequently 384 with the restrictive strategy. The restrictive strategy significantly reduced the percentage of patients undergoing PPI before discharge (17.2% vs. 38.1%, p < .001) and length of hospital stay (intensive care unit 52 ± 55 vs. 60 ± 52 hours, p < .001; general ward 10.6 ± 5.7 vs. 11.5 ± 5.7 days, p = .001). One-year all-cause mortality was not significantly different between groups (14.1% vs. 11.7%, log-rank p = .28). However, sudden death was more frequent in the restrictive group (3.4% vs. 1.3%, log-rank p = .049).

Conclusions: As compared to a liberal indication for PPI, a restrictive indication reduced PPI rate and length of hospital stay without significantly affecting all-cause mortality. The observed increase in the risk of sudden death with the restrictive PPI indication deserves further investigation.