Elderly patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation and repeated heart failure admissions have limited treatment choices. Now, a study in the EuroIntervention has confirmed that tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) using the PASCAL system is an effective and safe treatment for patients with severe or greater tricuspid regurgitation (TR), delivering sustained improvements in symptoms, function, and quality of life over one year.

The prospective TriCLASP study enrolled 300 patients, with a mean age of 80 years and over half female. At baseline, three-quarters had ≥severe TR. One year after T-TEER, TR was reduced to moderate or less in 87.7% of patients (p<0.001). Major adverse events occurred in only 1.7% of patients at 30 days and 12.7% at one year. Survival and freedom from heart failure hospitalization were high at 88.3% and 83.2%, respectively. The annualized heart failure hospitalization rates dropped by 72.2% compared to the year before treatment.

Patients also reported significant improvements in functional and quality-of-life measures. At one year, 74.5% were in New York Heart Association Class I/II, walking distances improved by an average of 29.4 meters, and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores rose by 8.3 points (all p<0.001).

Researchers conclude that T-TEER with the PASCAL system offers meaningful and sustained clinical benefits for a high-risk TR population.

Key Takeaways

T-TEER with the PASCAL system reduced TR to moderate or less in about 88% of patients. One-year outcomes showed low mortality, reduced heart failure hospitalizations, and improved quality of life with significant gains = in functional capacity and symptom relief.