Indocyanine green clearance predicts outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter valve intervention for severe atrio-ventricular valve regurgitation

OBJECTIVES: Severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) aggravate haemodynamic stress leading to congestive heart failure with impaired hepatic function, also known as cardiohepatic syndrome (CHS). Current perioperative risk calculators do not sufficiently consider CHS and serum liver function parameters lack sensitivity to diagnose CHS. Indocyanine green and its elimination (measured by the LIMON(®) test) represent a dynamic and non-invasive test which correlates with the hepatic function. Nevertheless, its utility in the setting of transcatheter valve repair/replacement (TVR) to predict CHS and outcome remains unknown. METHODS: We analysed liver function and outcomes of patients undergoing TVR for MR or TR between August 2020 and May 2021 at the Munich University Hospital. RESULTS: Out of a total of 44 patients treated at the University Hospital of Munich, 21 (48%) were treated for severe MR, 20 (46%) for severe TR and 3 (7%) for both diseases. Procedural success defined as MR/TR ≤2+ was 94% among MR patients and 92% among TR patients. While classical serum liver function parameters did not change after TVR, there was a significant improvement in liver function as assessed by the LIMON(®) test (P ≤ 0.001). Patients with baseline indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate <12.95%/min showed significantly increased 1-year mortality (hazard ratio: 1.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.05–2.25, P = 0.027) and lower New York Hear Association class improvement (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Especially in the context of the recently stressed importance of a careful patient selection prior to the interdisciplinary treatment of valvular heart disease, the LIMON(®) test may provide further real-time information on the patients’ cardiohepatic injury and prognosis.