Hemoglobin level and renal function 5-12 months after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background: Anemia is common in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). The two most common etiologies for anemia in these patients are iron deficiency due to gastrointestinal blood loss, and renal failure. Angiodysplasia in the gastrointestinal system is a feature of the AS syndrome. We sought to evaluate changes in hemoglobin level and renal function in patients 5-12 months after TAVR, and to examine possible relations between these changes

Methods and results: We studied 315 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR. Data were collected of hemoglobin level and renal function before, and 5-12 months after, TAVR. The mean hemoglobin level increased significantly (from 11.76 to 12.16 g/dl, p<0.0001) 5-12 months after TAVR, and the number of patients with anemia decreased significantly (from 67.5% to 53.9%, p<0.0001). At 5-12 months following TAVR, a small reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate was observed (from 60.05±24.1 to 58.30±24.50 ml/min, p=0.024).

Conclusion: In patients who underwent TAVR, a significant increase in hemoglobin was observed 5-12 months after the procedure, despite a reduction in renal function. Our findings imply that gastrointestinal blood loss, which occurs in patients with severe AS, is significantly reduced following TAVR.