A propensity score-adjusted analysis of clinical outcomes after pulmonary valve replacement in tetralogy of Fallot

Heart. 2018 May;104(9):738-744. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2017-312048. Epub 2017 Nov 1.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) with death and sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF).

Methods: Subjects with rTOF and cardiac magnetic resonance from an international registry were included. A PVR propensity score was created to adjust for baseline differences. PVR consensus criteria were predefined as pulmonary regurgitation >25% and ≥2 of the following criteria: right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic volume >160 mL/m2, RV end-systolic volume >80 mL/m2, RV ejection fraction (EF) <47%, left ventricular EF <55% and QRS duration >160 ms. The primary outcome included (aborted) death and sustained VT. The secondary outcome included heart failure, non-sustained VT and sustained supraventricular tachycardia.

Results: In 977 rTOF subjects (age 26±15 years, 45% PVR, follow-up 5.3±3.1 years), the primary and secondary outcomes occurred in 41 and 88 subjects, respectively. The HR for subjects with versus without PVR (time-varying covariate) was 0.65 (95% CI 0.31 to 1.36; P=0.25) for the primary outcome and 1.43 (95% CI 0.83 to 2.46; P=0.19) for the secondary outcome after adjusting for propensity and other factors. In subjects (n=426) not meeting consensus criteria, the HR for subjects with (n=132) versus without (n=294) PVR was 2.53 (95% CI 0.79 to 8.06; P=0.12) for the primary outcome and 2.31 (95% CI 1.07 to 4.97; P=0.03) for the secondary outcome.

Conclusion: In this large multicentre rTOF cohort, PVR was not associated with a reduced rate of death and sustained VT at an average follow-up of 5.3 years. Additionally, there were more events after PVR compared with no PVR in subjects not meeting consensus criteria.

Keywords: cardiac magnetic resonance (cmr) imaging; congenital heart disease; tetralogy of fallot.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Heart Valve Prosthesis
  • Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality
  • Postoperative Complications / surgery
  • Propensity Score
  • Pulmonary Valve / surgery*
  • Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency / mortality
  • Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency / surgery*
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / etiology*
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / mortality
  • Tetralogy of Fallot / mortality
  • Tetralogy of Fallot / surgery*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome