Avoiding the Learning Curve for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Table 1

Baseline characteristics.

Parameter	Established program overall	New program overall		New program
				First half	Second half
Clinical characteristics
Age (years)	81.4 ± 9.1	78.9 ± 8.7	0.08	79 (±8)	78 (±9)	0.47
Male gender	53% (115)	100% (50)	<0.01	100%	100%	NA
STS Score	8.0 ± 4.7	6.8 ± 6.0	0.15	6.2 ± 5	7.4 ± 7	0.25
Height (cm)	167 ± 11	172 ± 7.4	<0.01	171 ± 7.5	173 ± 7.4	0.57
Weight (kg)	81 ± 24	92 ± 25	<0.01	93 ± 31.5	91 ± 17	0.84
Ejection fraction	52.9 ± 12.1	50.3 ± 11.2	0.15	51.7 ± 11.2	48.8 ± 11.2	0.37
Heart failure	33% (73)	12% (6)	<0.01	0% (0)	24% (6)	0.02
Myocardial infarction	28% (61)	15% (7)	<0.01	8% (2)	21% (5)	0.42
PCI	36% (79)	35% (17)	0.86	20% (5)	50% (12)	0.04
Atrial fibrillation	44% (97)	42% (21)	0.77	40% (10)	44% (11)	0.78
Stroke	15% (32)	16% (8)	0.76	4% (1)	29% (7)	0.02
Porcelain aorta	6% (14)	4% (2)	0.74	8% (2)	0% (0)	0.49
Pacemaker	13% (29)	10% (5)	0.64	8% (2)	12% (3)	1.00
Smoker	7% (16)	6% (3)	1.00	4% (1)	8% (2)	1.00
Hypertension	89% (195)	52% (26)	<0.01	52% (13)	52% (13)	1.00
Dialysis	5% (10)	12% (6)	0.05	8% (2)	16% (4)	0.67
PAD	33% (72)	24% (12)	0.25	24% (6)	24% (6)	0.94
Diabetes mellitus	33% (73)	32% (16)	0.31	36% (9)	28% (7)	0.83
Home oxygen	13% (28)	22% (11)	0.10	24% (6)	20% (5)	1.00
Anticoagulant	19% (33)	10% (5)	0.15	8% (2)	12% (3)	1.00
Aortic valve measurements
Area	0.82 ± 0.52	0.76 ± 0.23	0.43	0.72 ± 0.22	0.80 ± 0.23	0.27
Peak velocity	4.2 ± 0.69	3.9 ± 0.68	0.01	4.1 ± 0.7	3.7 ± 0.6	0.03
Mean gradient	43.9 ± 14	38.2 ± 14.2	0.01	42.2 ± 16.5	34.4 ± 10.6	0.05
Procedural characteristics
Transfemoral access	61% (138)	70% (35)	0.25	64%	76%	0.36
Alternative access	39% (87)	30% (15)	0.25	36%	24%	0.36
Balloon-expandable	79% (171)	80% (40)	0.61	84%	76%	0.73
Self-expandable	21% (52)	20% (10)	0.61	16%	24%	0.73
Valve size (mm)	26 ± 2.5	27.7 ± 2.2	<0.01	27.5 (±2)	27.9 (±2)	0.40