Conduction disturbances after transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) are associated with increased mortality and other adverse outcomes, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.

New-onset persistent left bundle branch block (NOP-LBBB), high-degree atrioventricular block leading to permanent pacemaker implantation and other conduction disturbances are the most frequent complications of TAVR. But the clinical impact of these disturbances remains controversial.

Canadian researchers have investigated the impact of NOP-LBBB and PPI post-TAVR on all-cause death, cardiac death and hospitalisation for heart failure in their analysis of 30 studies involving more than 50,000 patients.

Overall, the rate of NOP-LBBB at discharge was 22.7%, and the one-year all-cause mortality rates ranged from 6.3% to 27.8% in patients with NOP-LBBB and from 4.9% to 28.4% in patients without it.