Does TAVI make you smarter? Exploring the effects of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation on Cognitive Function-Juniper Publishers
JUNIPER PUBLISHERS-OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY & CARDIOVASCULAR THERAPY Abstract Background: Tran catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement in high-risk patients. While early cognitive decline is commonly seen in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, the effect of TAVI on cognitive function is less well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of TAVI on cognitive function. Methods: A prospective cohort study, evaluating 91 patients undergoing TAVI between September 2010 and September 2014 was performed. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) prior to TAVI and at 6 months follow-up. MoCA is a comprehensive test that assesses a variety of cognitive domains including visuospatial/executive, naming, memory, attention, language, abstraction and orientation. Results: Mean age was 79.2 years (SD ± 8.8) and median Society of Thoracic Surgeo...