Patients with aortic stenosis exhibit early improved endothelial function following transcatheter aortic valve replacement: The eFAST study

Patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) exhibit systemic endothelial dysfunction, which can be associated with myocardial ischaemia in absence of obstructive coronary disease. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is used to treat severe AS in patients with high or prohibitive surgical risk. However, it remains unknown whether endothelial function recovers post-TAVR. We therefore sought to assess the early and late changes in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a measure of endothelial function, following TAVR. Patients undergoing TAVR for severe AS had ultrasound assessment of brachial endothelial-independent and -dependent FMD. Measurements were performed pre-TAVR, at early follow-up (