Coagulation, fibrinolysis and platelet drop in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) leads to transient platelet activation and hypercoagulation status, resulting in thrombocytopenia.

Aims: This study investigated the associations of coagulation/fibrinolysis status after transfemoral TAVI with valve type, post-TAVI thrombocytopenia, and complication of TAVI.

Methods: Thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) levels were measured before and 1 h, 1 day, and 2 days after TAVI. A percentage drop in platelet count (DPC) was determined from the pre- and lowest post-procedural values.

Results: SAPIEN 3 (S3) was implanted in 158 patients and Evolut PRO/PRO+ (Evolut) in 117. Both TAT and FDP increased after TAVI. Pre-TAVI balloon dilatation was generally performed on patients undergoing implantation with Evolut. Peak TAT was then stratified into 4 quartiles (Q1 to Q4). Of all 275 study patients, 69 patients reached ultra-hypercoagulation status (Q4). S3, TAVI without pre-balloon dilatation, DPC and bleeding complications were significantly associated with the ultra-hypercoagulation status after TAVI. TAT was significantly greater 1 h after S3 implantation than Evolut (median [IQR], 43.1 [34.1-59.6] vs. 31.0 [25.0-40.4] ng/mL; p < 0.001). In contrast, FDP levels did not differ between the two at any measurement point. The difference in DPC among the peak TAT quartiles was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The occurrence of bleeding complications was significantly higher in the group with ultra-hypercoagulation status (5.8% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.036).

Conclusions: The increase in coagulation status and post-TAVI thrombocytopenia were significantly greater after S3 implantation. Ultra-hypercoagulation after TAVI was related to bleeding complications.