Left-atrial volume reduction reflects improvement of cardiac sympathetic nervous function in patients with severe aortic stenosis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Trans-catheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an excellent alternative intervention for surgical aortic valve replacement. Cardiac sympathetic nervous (CSN) function and left atrial (LA) volume are both important prognostic factors in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) after TAVR. The relationship between the two clinical factors is unknown, however. This retrospective observational study aimed to assess the correlation between CSN function and LA volume in 48 symptomatic patients with severe AS (median age: 85 years, IQR 82–88 years; 81% female) before and after TAVR. CSN function was assessed by performing 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy before and 6 months after TAVR, and the delayed heart-to-mediastinum ratio (dHMR) and washout rate (WR) were calculated. We also performed transthoracic echocardiography near the same time. TAVR improved the dHMR, WR, and LA volume index (LAVI) (dHMR: median 2.89 [IQR 2.62–3.23] vs. 2.98 [2.49–3.25], p = 0.0182; WR: 28% [24–38] vs. 23% [16–32], p < 0.0001; LAVI: 47.7 mL/m 2 [37.8–56.3] vs. 41.2 mL/m 2 [33.7–56.1], p = 0.0024). In multiple linear regression analysis, the percentage change in LAVI from baseline to post-TAVR (∆LAVI%) was an independent predictor of change in dHMR from baseline to post-TAVR ( β = − 0.35, p = 0.0110). In conclusion, LA volume reduction reflected CSN functional improvement after TAVR. In patients with TAVR, ∆LAVI% might be a valuable parameter for evaluating CSN functional recovery.