1-Year Outcomes With the Evolut R Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve: From the International FORWARD Study

Objectives: This study sought to report the 1-year safety and efficacy outcomes in the FORWARD (CoreValve Evolut R FORWARD) study following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the next-generation Evolut R device (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) in routine clinical practice. Background: The FORWARD study reported low incidences of mortality, disabling stroke, and significant paravalvular leak following TAVR in routine clinical practice at 30 days. Longer-term results in large patient populations with the Evolut R self-expanding, repositionable transcatheter heart valve (THV) are lacking. Methods: This was a prospective, single-arm, multinational, multicenter, observational study investigating efficacy and safety following TAVR with the next-generation self-expanding THV. Between January and December 2016, 1,040 patients underwent attempted implant of the Evolut R self-expanding repositionable valve at 53 sites worldwide. An independent Clinical Events Committee adjudicated safety endpoints based on Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions. An independent echocardiographic core laboratory evaluated all echocardiograms. Results: The mean age was 81.8 ± 6.2 years, 64.8% were women, and patients had a mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality score of 5.5 ± 4.5% and EuroSCORE II of 5.7 ± 5.0%. The 1-year all-cause mortality rate was 8.9%, with a cardiovascular mortality rate of 6.9%. At 1 year, the incidence of disabling stroke was 2.1%, and a pacemaker was implanted in 19.7% of patients. The incidence of more than mild paravalvular leak was 1.2%. Conclusions: The FORWARD study demonstrated good safety and efficacy profiles for the next-generation Evolut R THV up to 1-year follow-up, with very low mortality and adverse events.