Cardiovascular highlights from non-cardiology journals

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in intermediate risk patients Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has had a major impact on both morbidity and mortality in high-risk and inoperable patients with severe aortic stenosis. Robust evidence has supported widespread adoption in this patient group but uncertainty exists as to whether TAVI may also achieve clinical equipoise with surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) in lower risk groups. In the industry sponsored PARTNER 2 trial, patients deemed at intermediate surgical risk (generally with an STS score between 4 and 8) were randomized to either TAVI with the SAPIEN XT valve or conventional surgery (bioprosthetic valve of operative choice). In a study powered for non-inferiority, a total of 2032 patients at 57 North American centers were recruited with a primary end-point of all cause mortality and disabling stroke measured at 24 months. TAVI was found to be none-inferior to surgical AVR at 2...
Source: Heart - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Journal scan Source Type: research