Key result
Frailty affects ~82% of older patients undergoing TAVI and tracks with higher NYHA class.
Why the study?
Frailty syndrome is a common comorbidity in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI, significantly influencing outcomes and requiring early identification for optimized care.
Cross-Sectional (n=113)
No
Frailty syndrome is highly prevalent (82.3%) among older patients with severe aortic stenosis awaiting TAVI, highlighting the critical need for routine multidimensional preprocedural frailty and psychosocial assessments.
Frailty screening may inform TAVI candidate evaluation; leaves open whether addressing predictors improves outcomes.
Background Frailty syndrome is a common comorbidity in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), significantly influencing outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Early identification of frailty and its determinants is essential for optimizing care and improving quality of life. Methods This cross-sectional, observational study included 113 Polish patients qualified for TAVI between January and September 2024. Frailty was assessed using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI). Quality of life, mental health, and social support were evaluated with TASQ, HADS, and MSPSS questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of frailty. Results Frailty syndrome was present in 82.3% of patients. Higher frailty levels were associated with worse NYHA class, unhealthy lifestyle, and increased emotional burden. Depression and anxiety were significantly correlated with frailty, especially its psychological domain. Logistic regression revealed that NYHA class, emotional impact (TASQ), and unhealthy lifestyle were independent predictors of frailty. Social support negatively correlated with social frailty scores, suggesting a protective effect. Conclusions Frailty is highly prevalent among patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI. Comprehensive preprocedural assessment should include physical, emotional, and social factors. Targeted interventions - particularly prehabilitation and psychosocial support - may help address modifiable components of frailty in this population. Clinical trial number Not applicable.
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Świątoniowska-Lonc et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Severe aortic stenosis (n=113). Severe aortic stenosis qualified for TAVI was evaluated on Frailty syndrome (Tilburg Frailty Indicator score ≥ 5). Frailty syndrome was highly prevalent, affecting 82.3% of older patients with severe aortic stenosis qualified for TAVI, and was independently predicted by higher NYHA class, unhealthy lifestyle, and emotional burden.
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