The effect of chronic total occlusion on outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: The pre-procedural presence of chronic total occlusions (CTO) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) could be a significant predictor of outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to investigate whether CTO presence significantly alters outcomes in TAVI patients. METHODS: A systematic search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After study selection, a random effect meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: Seven studies with a total of 15,162 patients undergoing TAVI were included. There was no significant difference regarding in-hospital [Relative Risk (RR): 1.13; 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 0.82-1.55] and 1-year all-cause mortality (RR: 1.58; 95% CI: 0.71-3.50). Patients with CTO exhibited significantly increased rates of myocardial infarction (RR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.07-1.51) and reduced rates of new pacemaker implantation (RR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79-0.98). No differences were found in cardiogenic shock (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 0.97-1.44), acute kidney injury (RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.88-1.28), vascular complications (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.91-1.33), or bleeding (RR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.89-1.14). CONCLUSION: In TAVI patients, pre-procedural unrevascularized CTO presence is not related to short- or mid-term increased mortality. Further studies are needed to identify predictors of adverse events and phenotypes benefiting from revascularization.