Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes of Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Medically managed tricuspid regurgitation (TR) has detrimental outcomes. Transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions (TTVIs) represent an alternative to surgery in high-risk patients; however, only early experiences exist. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of TTVI. Methods: MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases were searched for studies published up to June 2021. Studies reporting data on outcome post-TTVIs were included. This study was designed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) requirements. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 30-day and 1-year post-TTVI. Results: Out of 2,718 studies, 27 were included. Notably, 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortalities were 5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4-8%, p < 0.001) and 25% (95% CI: 12-45%, p = 0.016). Procedural success was associated with a 58% risk reduction in 1-year mortality vs. lack thereof (odds ratio 0.42, 95% CI: 0.27-0.66, p < 0.001). TTVI is associated with a significant reduction in TR severity (TR EROA, mean difference [MD] 0.31 cm2; 95% CI: 0.23-0.39 cm2, p < 0.001; regurgitant volume, MD 23.54 ml; 95% CI: 17.4-29.68 ml, p = 0.03) and increase in forward stroke volume (FSV, MD 3.98 ml; 95% CI: 0.11-7.86 ml, p = 0.04). Conclusion: TTVI significantly reduces TR severity and increases FSV and is associated with improved survival at 1 year compared with patients without procedural success. Long-term outcomes compared with medical therapy await the results of ongoing pivotal trials; nonetheless, TTVIs appear to be a promising alternative to surgery for TR.