Pacemaker recovery after permanent pacemaker implantation post-transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A sub-study of the LANDMARK trial

BACKGROUND: Conduction system disturbances resulting in permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) are common complications after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). In some patients, there is delayed recovery of the conduction system post-procedure. This study aims to report the incidence and predictors of ventricular pacing (VP) rate≦1% at 1 year after TAVI. METHODS: This is a post-hoc sub-study of the LANDMARK multicentre trial, which randomized 768 patients in a 2:1:1 ratio to the Myval (n = 384) transcatheter heart valve (THV) series or contemporary THVs (Sapien n = 192 and Evolut n = 192 series) for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. Overall, 122 (15.9%) patients underwent PPI within 30 days after TAVI, and 1-year pacemaker follow-up data were retrospectively collected in 99 patients. Pacemaker recovery (PMR) was defined as a VP rate ≦1% at follow-up. RESULTS: PMR occurred in 18% (18/99) of patients. The PMR group was younger than the non-PMR group (78.6 ± 3.0 vs 81.1 ± 5.1 years, p = 0.045). Implantation depth under the non-coronary cusp did not differ between groups (5.7 ± 3.5 vs 5.8 ± 2.8 mm, p = 0.94). There were no significant differences in PMR rates based on THV type: Myval 25% (11/44), Sapien 19% (5/27), and Evolut 7% (2/28) (p = 0.16). In multivariable logistic regression, atrial fibrillation was associated with lower odds of PMR (odds ratio 0.09, 95% confidence interval 0.00-0.77, p = 0.02. CONCLUSIONS: At 1 year, conduction system recovery (VP≦1%) was observed in 18% of patients who underwent PPI after TAVI, with no significant difference among the Myval, Sapien and Evolut series. Atrial fibrillation was associated with lower odds of recovery.