Heart failure after left atrial appendage occlusion: insights from the LAAOS-III randomized trial Journal Articles uri icon

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abstract

  • Abstract Background Left atrial appendage removal or occlusion (LAAO) might increase the risk for heart failure (HF) due to the loss of the LAA`s reservoir function, active contraction and neuroendocrine function. Purpose To investigate the incidence of HF hospitalizations and/or HF related death after LAAO in the Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Study (LAAOS III). Methods In LAAOS III, 4811 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2 were randomized to undergo or not undergo surgical LAAO during cardiac surgery for another indication. We compared the incidence of a composite endpoint of HF hospitalizations and HF related death between the two randomized groups (LAAO vs no-LAAO). We also pre-specified subgroups including: sex, age, BMI, surgery type, concomitant AF ablation, prior history of HF, history of hypertension, diabetes, prior myocardial infarction, left ventricular ejection fraction, sinus rhythm and occlusion method. Results We included 2379 patients in the LAAO and 2391 patients in the no-LAAO group. Overall, mean age was 71 years, 67% were male and 57% had prior HF. Baseline characteristics including drug treatment were balanced between the groups. Over a mean follow-up of 3.8 years, 395 (8.3%) patients met the primary HF endpoint: 209 (8.8%) in the LAAO group and 186 (7.8%) in the no-LAAO group. We did not find a significant difference for the primary endpoint between the randomized groups (Hazard ratio [95% confidence intervals] 1.13 [0.93-1.37], p=0.233) (Figure). The only significant subgroup interaction was for concomitant AF ablation (p for interaction = 0.004). Patients in the LAAO group without concomitant AF ablation had a higher risk for the primary endpoint (HR [95% CI] 1.37 [1.08-1.74], p=0.009) than patients with ablation (HR [95% CI] 0.74 [0.51-1.06], p=0.097). Conclusion LAAO did not increase the risk for a combined endpoint of HF hospitalizations and HF related death in patients with AF. Patients with concomitant AF ablation might have lower risk for the combined endpoint.Figure

publication date

  • November 9, 2023