Impact of Rapid Ventricular Pacing on Outcome After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background Rapid ventricular pacing (RVP) is used commonly during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Little is known about the safety and clinical consequences of this step. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of RVP on immediate and long‐term clinical outcomes in a large cohort of non‐selected TAVR patients. Method and Results The study included 412 consecutive patients undergoing TAVR with a mean age of 82±7 years, of which 47% were male. Patients were divided according to the number of RVPs during the TAVR procedure comparing patients undergoing no pacing (0), 1 to 2, and ≥3 pacing episodes (3+). Patients undergoing 3+ pacing episodes were significantly more likely to develop new atrial fibrillation (5.6% versus 7.3% versus 15%, respectively, for 0, 1–2, and 3+ groups, P=0.047), acute kidney injury (AKI) (18% versus 18% versus 28%, respectively, P