Diastolic Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Are Independently Associated With Mortality in Chronic Aortic Regurgitation

Li Tan Yang, Patricia A. Pellikka, Maurice Enriquez-Sarano, Christopher G. Scott, Ratnasari Padang, Sunil V. Mankad, Hartzell V. Schaff, Hector I. Michelena

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The prognostic significance of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and resting heart rate (RHR) in patients with hemodynamically significant aortic regurgitation (AR) is unknown. Objectives: This study sought to investigate the association of DBP and RHR with all-cause mortality in patients with AR. Methods: Consecutive patients with ≥ moderate to severe AR were retrospectively identified from 2006 to 2017. The association between all-cause mortality and routinely measured DBP and RHR was examined. Results: Of 820 patients (age 59 ± 17 years; 82% men) followed for 5.5 ± 3.5 years, 104 died under medical management, and 400 underwent aortic valve surgery (AVS). Age, symptoms, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), LV end-systolic diameter-index (LVESDi), DBP, and RHR were univariable predictors of all-cause mortality (all p ≤ 0.002). When adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and surgical triggers (symptoms, LVEF, and LVESDi), baseline DBP (adjusted-hazard ratio [HR]: 0.79 [95% confidence interval: 0.66 to 0.94] per 10 mm Hg increase, p = 0.009) and baseline RHR (adjusted HR: 1.23 [95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 1.45] per 10 beat per min [bpm] increase, p = 0.01) were independently associated with all-cause mortality. These associations persisted after adjustment for presence of hypertension, medications, time-dependent AVS, and using average DBP and RHR (all p ≤ 0.02). Compared with the general population, patients with AR exhibited excess mortality (relative risk of death >1), which rose steeply in inverse proportion (p nonlinearity = 0.002) to DBP starting at 70 mm Hg and peaking at 55 mm Hg and in direct proportion to RHR starting at 60 bpm. Conclusions: In patients with chronic hemodynamically significant AR, routinely measured DBP and RHR demonstrate a robust association with all-cause death, independent of demographics, comorbidities, guideline-based surgical triggers, presence of hypertension, and use of medications. Therefore, DBP and RHR should be integrated into comprehensive clinical decision-making for these patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)29-39
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology
Volume75
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 7 2020

Keywords

  • aortic regurgitation
  • diastolic blood pressure
  • heart rate
  • mortality

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Diastolic Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Are Independently Associated With Mortality in Chronic Aortic Regurgitation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this