Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an effective therapeutic method for elderly high-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, not eligible for surgical treatment. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate short-term changes in elderly people’s quality of life following TAVI, based on the POL-TAVI registry. Methods: One hundred and eighty-four octogenarians’ and nonagenarians’ samples from the POL-TAVI database were included in the study. The quality of life status was assessed with EQ-5D-3L questionnaire at baseline and after one-month follow-up. Results: The mean of patients’ age was 84 (80–93) years. Logistic EuroSCORE mean was 19.83% (3.48–83.94%), and transaortic mean gradient was 54.99 (19.0–149.0) mm Hg. At baseline, up to 24.50% of patients declared severe problems in performing usual activities. 13.60% felt extreme pain or discomfort; 9.80% were unable to wash and dress by themselves; 8.20% were extremely anxious or depressed; and 7.10% of the patients in the study were confined to bed. After 30 days the percentage of patients declaring severe problems in each dimension did not exceed 4.00%. The comparison between quality of life data at baseline and after one-month follow-up showed a significant improvement in each of five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression (p < 0.001). Patients’ quality of life was increasing regardless of gender (female vs. male), the type of anaesthesia (general vs. local), and the type of procedure (TA vs. TF). Conclusions: Short-term quality of life in the elderly subjects was significantly improved after one-month follow-up following TAVI. Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an effective therapeutic method for elderly high-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, not eligible for surgical treatment. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate short-term changes in elderly people’s quality of life following TAVI, based on the POL-TAVI registry. Methods: One hundred and eighty-four octogenarians’ and nonagenarians’ samples from the POL-TAVI database were included in the study. The quality of life status was assessed with EQ-5D-3L questionnaire at baseline and after one-month follow-up. Results: The mean of patients’ age was 84 (80–93) years. Logistic EuroSCORE mean was 19.83% (3.48–83.94%), and transaortic mean gradient was 54.99 (19.0–149.0) mm Hg. At baseline, up to 24.50% of patients declared severe problems in performing usual activities. 13.60% felt extreme pain or discomfort; 9.80% were unable to wash and dress by themselves; 8.20% were extremely anxious or depressed; and 7.10% of the patients in the study were confined to bed. After 30 days the percentage of patients declaring severe problems in each dimension did not exceed 4.00%. The comparison between quality of life data at baseline and after one-month follow-up showed a significant improvement in each of five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression (p < 0.001). Patients’ quality of life was increasing regardless of gender (female vs. male), the type of anaesthesia (general vs. local), and the type of procedure (TA vs. TF). Conclusions: Short-term quality of life in the elderly subjects was significantly improved after one-month follow-up following TAVI.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a standard therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) at high cardiac surgical risk. The aim of the NAUTILUS study was to investigate the safety and performance of the New Valve Technology (NVT) Allegra bioprosthesis in high-risk patients undergoing TAVI. Methods: 27 patients with severe, symptomatic AS at high surgical risk were prospectively enrolled, who underwent treatment using the novel self-expanding NVT Allegra bioprosthesis via transfemoral approach (TF-TAVI). The primary end-point was all-cause mortality at 30 days. Results: Patients were elderly (83 years, range 75–89 years), and predominantly female (70.4%, n = 19). All patients were deemed to be at high surgical risk, with a mean logistic EuroSCORE of 12.4% (range, 2.8–31.8%). The bioprosthesis was successfully implanted in 96% of the cases (n = 25). The echocardiographic assessment confirmed good hemodynamic profile after implantation of the NVT Allegra bioprosthesis. Complications included cardiac tamponade (4%, n = 1) and the need for permanent pacemaker implantation (8%, n = 2). The analysis of procedural aspects showed a short learning effect related to the precise placement of the valve. A significant improvement in clinical symptoms were observed, and no patients died in-hospital or within 30 days of post-discharge observation. Conclusions: This prospective observation shows that the NVT Allegra bioprosthesis was associated with a satisfactory safety profile and a remarkable hemodynamic performance after implantation. Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a standard therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) at high cardiac surgical risk. The aim of the NAUTILUS study was to investigate the safety and performance of the New Valve Technology (NVT) Allegra bioprosthesis in high-risk patients undergoing TAVI. Methods: 27 patients with severe, symptomatic AS at high surgical risk were prospectively enrolled, who underwent treatment using the novel self-expanding NVT Allegra bioprosthesis via transfemoral approach (TF-TAVI). The primary end-point was all-cause mortality at 30 days. Results: Patients were elderly (83 years, range 75–89 years), and predominantly female (70.4%, n = 19). All patients were deemed to be at high surgical risk, with a mean logistic EuroSCORE of 12.4% (range, 2.8–31.8%). The bioprosthesis was successfully implanted in 96% of the cases (n = 25). The echocardiographic assessment confirmed good hemodynamic profile after implantation of the NVT Allegra bioprosthesis. Complications included cardiac tamponade (4%, n = 1) and the need for permanent pacemaker implantation (8%, n = 2). The analysis of procedural aspects showed a short learning effect related to the precise placement of the valve. A significant improvement in clinical symptoms were observed, and no patients died in-hospital or within 30 days of post-discharge observation. Conclusions: This prospective observation shows that the NVT Allegra bioprosthesis was associated with a satisfactory safety profile and a remarkable hemodynamic performance after implantation.

Objective To evaluate short- and long-term changes in quality of life (QoL) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and to assess differences in patient QoL when using the TAVI transaortic (TAVI TAo) approach compared with the transfemoral approach (TAVI TF) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Methods Ninety-seven patients were assessed. Thirty-two patients underwent TAVI TAo, 31 underwent TAVI TF and 34 patients underwent SAVR. QoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire at baseline, after one month and one year. Results Mean patient age was 80 years (range, 61-92 years) and the mean logistic EuroSCORE was 12.45% (range, 1.39%. 78.98%). Declared health state at baseline was significantly lower in TAVI TF (P < 0.001) and after one month there were no differences between the three groups (P = 0.99). After one year, SAVR patient results of the EQ-5D-3L index value were lower in comparison to both TAVI patient groups (P < 0.05). The analysis also showed significant differences between the results of EQ-5D-3L index value over the one month and one year follow-up (TAVI TAo, P < 0.001; TAVI TF, P < 0.05; SAVR, P < 0.05). In all groups, the values significantly increased after one-month and one-year of follow-up in comparison to baseline value. Significant differences were also demonstrated between Visual Analogue Scale values (VAS). Conclusions A significant improvement in QoL was observed in all three patient groups. Regardless of the TAVI approach, EQ-5D-3L and VAS values were significantly increased after one-month and one-year follow up; the SAVR patients however, reported lower health status when compared to the TAVI patients.

DOI: 10.33963/KP.15267, Published online: March 30, 2020, Authors: Aleksandra Stańska, Jadwiga Fijałkowska, Radosław Targoński, Marcin Fijałkowski, Miłosz Jaguszewski, Jan Rogowski, Edyta Szurowska, Dariusz Jagielak

Background: Psychosocial assessment is central to lung transplant evaluation. Structured tools such as the Stanford Integrated Psychosocial Assessment for Transplantation (SIPAT) can be used either to support exclusionary decisions or to guide psychosocial prehabilitation by identifying modifiable targets for intervention. We examined how SIPAT functions in a program that explicitly prioritizes remediation of modifiable psychosocial risks. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of consecutive adult lung transplant candidates evaluated at a single center in Poland between December 2021 and November 2025. Psychosocial risk was assessed using SIPAT (locally translated), including total and domain scores, candidate categories, and binary indicators of clinically relevant alcohol, illicit substance and nicotine related risk. The primary endpoint was a pragmatic program outcome, defined as ever being listed (including transplanted) versus not listed. Analyses focused on describing psychosocial risk profiles and their relationship to the program pathway rather than on building a predictive model of listing decisions. Results: In 491 candidates (mean age 57.2 years; 40.5% women), psychosocial burden was generally low (mean total SIPAT 12.4, SD 6.8) and most patients were rated as excellent or good candidates. SIPAT total, domain scores and candidate categories were not meaningfully associated with ever being listed. Nicotine related risk was more frequent among listed candidates, consistent with a clinical strategy in which smoking histories in predominantly COPD and emphysema patients trigger intensive cessation support rather than automatic exclusion. Cluster analyses identified a smaller high-risk subgroup, and ROC analyses showed modest discrimination for alcohol and nicotine related risk, supporting SIPAT as a structured needs assessment. Conclusions: In this prehabilitation oriented program, SIPAT did not operate as a binary gatekeeping instrument for listing. Instead, it primarily served to identify modifiable psychosocial targets that trigger tailored support. These findings support using SIPAT as a structured roadmap for psychosocial prehabilitation rather than a stand-alone exclusion tool.