The following is a summary of “Impact of Acute Kidney Injury After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Nationwide Study,” published in the December 2023 issue of Cardiology by Petersen et al.
In this comprehensive study utilizing Danish nationwide registries, the researchers investigated the impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a crucial aspect that has been underexplored, particularly concerning its repercussions on long-term kidney function.
Analyzing data from 4,091 TAVR patients over seven years (2014-2021), the investigators identified 193 cases (4.7%) experiencing AKI within 21 days post-TAVR. A comparison between AKI and non-AKI patients revealed significantly elevated rates of 1-year dialysis treatment (hazard ratio [HR], 7.20 [95% CI, 4.10–12.66]) and all-cause death (HR, 2.39 [95% CI, 1.59–3.58]) among those with AKI. Notably, within 6 months post-index date, 74% of AKI survivors achieved complete kidney recovery, while 14.7% experienced incomplete recovery, 6.3% failed to recover, and 5.1% required ongoing dialysis treatment. These findings underscore the profound implications of AKI after TAVR, emphasizing the heightened risk of future dialysis and mortality.
Additionally, the observed rates of kidney recovery provide valuable insights into the trajectory of kidney function in AKI survivors, reinforcing the importance of monitoring and managing post-TAVR renal outcomes for improved patient care and prognostic assessment.