Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The clinical significance of new-onset left bundle branch block (LBBB) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains controversial. In the presented study, we aimed to assess the impact of new LBBB on clinical outcomes after TAVR. METHODS: A total of 473 patients underwent TAVR for severe aortic stenosis between 2015 and 2023. According to the exclusion criteria, the study cohort comprised of 322 patients for analysis. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular death, with secondary endpoints including all-cause mortality and permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) during follow-up. RESULTS: Patients with new LBBB had a significantly smaller indexed aortic valve area (0.3 ± 0.1 vs. 0.4 ± 0.1, P < 0.01) and interventricular membranous septum length (6.2 ± 1.6 vs. 6.9 ± 1.8, P < 0.01). By multivariable analysis, new LBBB remained an independent predictor of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio [HR] 7.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16 - 43.50, P = 0.03) during the 2.9-year follow-up period. There were no significant differences in the incidence of all-cause mortality (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.17 - 1.37, P = 0.16) and PPI (HR 2.61, 95% CI 0.85 - 0.80, P = 0.08) between patients with new LBBB compared to those without it. CONCLUSION: New LBBB after TAVR procedure is associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes, but it did not increase the risk of all-cause mortality and PPI over the long-term period.