Gait speed predicts mortality in transcatheter aortic valve replacement

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Why is it important?

Given that at its inception, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was recommended as an alternative solution for patients who were deemed un-operable to have their valve replaced, being frail in a large sense is among the reasons that these patients were not eligible for surgery. Using gait speed as an indicator of frailty allows us to investigate and study such a measure as an additional risk factor for patients outcomes after TAVR. Our study highlights the fact that gait speed should be incorporated systematically into a multi-step and multi-faceted pathway, inclusive of comprehensive geriatric consultation and comorbidity review. Moreover, it helps improve decision-making with regard to TAVR and allow an identification of patients who should be elligible for prehabilitation, which is a form of training aimed at preventing injury and strengthening reserves.

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