Aortic Valve Calcium Score Spectrum Identifies Bimodal Outcomes for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Insights From the AMTRAC Registry


Por: Talmor-Barkan, Y, Barbanti, M, Valvo, R, Costa, G, Grasso, C, De Backer, O, Lulic, D, Rodriguez, F, Olmos, C, Masiero, G, Adamo, M, Arzamendi, D, García-Gómez, M, Baz, JA, Steblovnik, K, Mauri, V, Adam, M, Wienemann, H, Hein, M, Ruile, P, Soh, BWT, Patel, KP, Branca, L, Estévez-Loureiro, R, Amat-Santos, IJ, Mylotte, D, Bunc, M, Tarantini, G, Mullen, MJ, Nombela-Franco, L, Aviv, Y, Kornowski, R, Levi, A, Witberg, G

Publicada: 17 mar 2026
Resumen:
Background Degenerative calcification is the primary mechanism underlying severe aortic stenosis; however, some patients with hemodynamically severe aortic stenosis have low aortic valve calcium scores (AVCS), suggesting heterogeneous disease processes. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes across the spectrum of AVCS. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the AMTRAC (Aortic+Mitral Transcatheter Valve) registry, including 3766 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation across 16 centers mainly in Europe (2013-2024). Patients were stratified into three groups of low, high, or very high based on their AVCS. The primary end point was 3-year mortality. Secondary end points included periprocedural outcomes (Valve Academic Research Consortium-3) and posttranscatheter aortic valve implantation hemodynamics. Results Patients with low AVCS more frequently presented with low-gradient aortic stenosis and advanced New York Heart Association classes. At 3 years, mortality displayed a bimodal pattern in association with AVCS spectrum: 30.5% in the low, 26.5% in the high, and 31.3% in the very-high AVCS group (P<0.05). Paravalvular leak greater than moderate increased with AVCS severity (0.5%, 0.9%, 1.9%, for low, high, and very-high AVCS, respectively; P<0.01). The risk for stroke and permanent pacemaker implantation were also higher in the very-high AVCS group compared with the low/high AVCS groups (stroke: 4.1%, 1.4%, 2.4%; permanent pacemaker: 21.2%, 14.7%, 14.2%; for very-high, low, high, respectively; P<0.05 for both). Conclusions Low AVCS defines a unique phenotype marked by predominant fibrosis, advanced symptoms, and increased mortality despite fewer procedural complications. In contrast, very-high AVCS is linked to higher procedural risk, more bicuspid valves, and increased mortality. These insights challenge calcification-based criteria and support incorporating fibrosis assessment into treatment strategies.

Filiaciones:
Talmor-Barkan, Y:
 Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Cardiol, Petah Tiqwa, Israel

 Tel Aviv Univ, Gray Fac Med & Hlth Sci, Tel Aviv, Israel

Barbanti, M:
 Univ Enna Kore, Enna, Italy

 Univ Catania, Div Cardiol, Catania, Italy

Valvo, R:
 Univ Catania, Div Cardiol, Catania, Italy

Costa, G:
 Univ Catania, Div Cardiol, Catania, Italy

Grasso, C:
 Univ Catania, Div Cardiol, Catania, Italy

De Backer, O:
 Copenhagen Univ Hosp, Rigshosp, Heart Ctr, Copenhagen, Denmark

Lulic, D:
 Copenhagen Univ Hosp, Rigshosp, Heart Ctr, Copenhagen, Denmark

Rodriguez, F:
 Inst Invest Sanitaria Hosp Clin San Carlos IdISSC, Hosp Clin San Carlos, Inst Cardiovasc, Madrid, Spain

Olmos, C:
 Inst Invest Sanitaria Hosp Clin San Carlos IdISSC, Hosp Clin San Carlos, Inst Cardiovasc, Madrid, Spain

Masiero, G:
 Univ Padua, Med Sch, Dept Cardiac Thorac & Vasc Sci, Padua, Italy

Adamo, M:
 Spedali Civil Brescia, Cardiovasc Dept, Brescia, Italy

Arzamendi, D:
 Hosp Santa Creu & Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

García-Gómez, M:
 Hosp Clin Univ Valladolid, CIBERCV, Valladolid, Spain

Baz, JA:
 Hosp Alvaro Cunqueiro, Serv Cardiol, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain

Steblovnik, K:
 Univ Med Ctr, Dept Cardiol, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Mauri, V:
 Univ Cologne, Fac Med, Clin Internal Med 3, Cologne, Germany

 Univ Cologne, Univ Hosp Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Adam, M:
 Univ Cologne, Fac Med, Clin Internal Med 3, Cologne, Germany

 Univ Cologne, Univ Hosp Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Wienemann, H:
 Univ Cologne, Fac Med, Clin Internal Med 3, Cologne, Germany

 Univ Cologne, Univ Hosp Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Hein, M:
 Univ Freiburg, Univ Heart Ctr Freiburg Bad Krozingen, Fac Med, Dept Cardiol & Angiol, Freiburg, Germany

Ruile, P:
 Univ Freiburg, Univ Heart Ctr Freiburg Bad Krozingen, Fac Med, Dept Cardiol & Angiol, Freiburg, Germany

Soh, BWT:
 Galway Univ Hosp, Dept Cardiol, Galway, Ireland

 Univ Galway, Galway, Ireland

Patel, KP:
 St Bartholomews Hosp, Barts Heart Ctr, London, England

Branca, L:
 Spedali Civil Brescia, Cardiovasc Dept, Brescia, Italy

Estévez-Loureiro, R:
 Hosp Alvaro Cunqueiro, Serv Cardiol, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain

Amat-Santos, IJ:
 Hosp Clin Univ Valladolid, CIBERCV, Valladolid, Spain

Mylotte, D:
 Galway Univ Hosp, Dept Cardiol, Galway, Ireland

 Univ Galway, Galway, Ireland

Bunc, M:
 Univ Med Ctr, Dept Cardiol, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Tarantini, G:
 Univ Padua, Med Sch, Dept Cardiac Thorac & Vasc Sci, Padua, Italy

Mullen, MJ:
 St Bartholomews Hosp, Barts Heart Ctr, London, England

Nombela-Franco, L:
 Inst Invest Sanitaria Hosp Clin San Carlos IdISSC, Hosp Clin San Carlos, Inst Cardiovasc, Madrid, Spain

Aviv, Y:
 Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Cardiol, Petah Tiqwa, Israel

 Tel Aviv Univ, Gray Fac Med & Hlth Sci, Tel Aviv, Israel

Kornowski, R:
 Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Cardiol, Petah Tiqwa, Israel

 Tel Aviv Univ, Gray Fac Med & Hlth Sci, Tel Aviv, Israel

Levi, A:
 Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Cardiol, Petah Tiqwa, Israel

 Tel Aviv Univ, Gray Fac Med & Hlth Sci, Tel Aviv, Israel

Witberg, G:
 Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Cardiol, Petah Tiqwa, Israel

 Tel Aviv Univ, Gray Fac Med & Hlth Sci, Tel Aviv, Israel
ISSN: 20479980





Journal of the American Heart Association
Editorial
WILEY, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA, Estados Unidos America
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 15 Número: 6
Páginas:
WOS Id: 001718320700001
ID de PubMed: 41804901
imagen Green Submitted, gold

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