Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are central bioenergetic markers linked to aortic stenosis (AS) development and severity. We sought to evaluate the time course and impact of ROS assessed by plasmatic superoxide anion (SA) among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Among 106 patients, SA significantly decreased after TAVR. Dropped values were measured 10 min after TAVR (0.590 ± 0.181 vs. 0.648 ± 0.193; p < 0.001) and persistent at 3 days (0.611 ± 0.0.228 vs. 0.646 ± 0.199; p = 0.033) and 30 days follow-up (0.572 ± 0.207 vs. 0.639 ± 0.199; p = 0.005). Increased baseline SA (>75 percentile) was continuously associated with higher postprocedural SA values 10 min after valve expansion (p < 0.001), at 3 days (p < 0.001) and 30 days (p < 0.001). Higher baseline SA was linked to higher inflammatory response assessed by higher C-reactive protein values at day 1 and day 3. The composite endpoint of all-cause mortality and/or stroke and/or pacemaker implantation and/or significant paravalvular aortic regurgitation ≥mild at 30 days did not differ significantly according to SA baseline values (p = 0.055). This is the first report identifying a decrease in oxidative stress level after TAVR. Our observation leads to the hypothesis that oxidative stress biomarkers may survive the journey from bench to bedside in AS and TAVR and become new biomarkers with both diagnostic and prognostic values. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 31, 420-426.
Keywords: aortic stenosis; oxidative stress; superoxide anion; transcatheter aortic valve replacement.