Transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 valve: Impact of calcium score on valve performance and clinical outcomes

Abstract Background Aortic valve calcification severity has been associated with higher rates of aortic regurgitation (AR) following TAVR, but scarce data exist on its impact with the use of newer generation transcatheter heart valves. Methods This was a multicenter study including 626 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR with the SAPIEN 3 valve. Patients were divided in 2 groups according to the median index calcium score (iCS) for each sex: high CS (HCS, iCS ≥ median), and low iCS (LCS, iCS  75th percentile for each sex). Clinical and echocardiographic data were collected prospectively in a dedicated database. Results The mean CS was 3758 ± 1417 AU and 1616 ± 691 AU in the HCS and LCS groups, respectively (p  Conclusion Aortic valve calcification severity failed to impact mortality/stroke rates following TAVR with the SAPIEN 3 valve. Low rates of significant AR were observed irrespective of CS, and a mild increase in transvalvular gradient was observed in ECS patients.