Frailty Affects Health-Related QoL After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Frailty in patients with peripheral artery disease and renal dysfunction predicted deteriorated health-related quality of life 1 year after transcatheter aortic valve implantation, according to a study published online in Age and Ageing.  

“Transcatheter aortic valve implantation brings symptom relief and improvement in health-related quality of life in the majority of patients treated for symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis,” researchers wrote. “However, there is a substantial group of patients that do not benefit from transcatheter aortic valve implantation.” 

To explore the impact of frailty on health-related quality of life after the procedure, researchers looked at data from an ongoing, prospective, observational study of patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation at Erasmus University Medical Center in The Netherlands. Patients were assessed for frailty using the Erasmus Frailty Score. The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire was used to determine health-related quality of life at baseline and 1 year after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. 

Among 239 patients, 70 qualified as frail. In patients with frailty, the EQ-5D-5L index dropped from 0.55 points before transcatheter aortic valve implantation to 0.44 points after the procedure, according to the study. In patients without frailty, the EQ-5D-5L index was unchanged. 

Although frailty was an independent predictor of worsened health-related quality of life after transcatheter aortic valve implantation, the outcome was not experienced among all patients with frailty. Those without peripheral artery disease or renal dysfunction at baseline actually showed improved health-related quality of life after the procedure despite frailty. 

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference:

Goudzwaard JA, de Ronde-Tillmans MJAG, van Hoorn FED, et al. Impact of frailty on health-related quality of life 1 year after transcatheter aortic valve implantation [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 18]. Age Ageing. 2020;afaa071. doi:10.1093/ageing/afaa071