Morristown Medical Center’s Dr. Philippe Genereux publishes groundbreaking EARLY TAVR trial in New England Journal of Medicine
Outlines benefits of early intervention for asymptomatic aortic stenosis patients
MORRISTOWN, NJ (Morris County) – Atlantic Health System is pleased to announce groundbreaking findings from the EARLY TAVR trial led by Dr. Philippe Genereux, Medical Director of the Structural Heart Program at Morristown Medical Center’s Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute.
The trial demonstrates that early intervention with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) may significantly improve outcomes compared to a watchful waiting approach. Dr. Genereux presented these pivotal results during the first late-breaking clinical trial session at the 2024 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference, with simultaneous publication in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Approximately five million people in the U.S. suffer from heart valve disease and AS is the most common and severe type. For over 60 years, clinical guidelines have recommended that patients with severe AS undergo regular monitoring every 6 to 12 months, with intervention typically delayed until symptoms appear. Findings from the EARLY TAVR trial show a risk reduction for patients who receive early intervention compared to those in clinical surveillance. These results call for reconsideration of current guidelines to delay intervention until symptoms of heart failure occur, and instead, seek a more proactive approach with early intervention for managing severe AS.
“These findings suggest that waiting until symptoms appear may expose patients to substantial risks and unnecessary advanced complications,” said Dr. Philippe Genereux, one of the world’s most highly cited researchers. “By intervening early, we can improve outcomes and preserve cardiac function, which fundamentally changes how we currently manage severe AS. Shifting our approach based on these findings allows for a more proactive strategy versus a reactive one.”
The EARLY TAVR trial is the first randomized, controlled trial to look at early intervention with TAVR as a strategy in patients with severe AS without symptoms. At a median follow-up of 3.8 years, the study found that patients who underwent early intervention had a 50% reduction in incidence of death, stroke, or unplanned cardiovascular hospitalization. The study also showed these patients were less likely to experience deterioration in left ventricular and left atrial function compared to those in the surveillance group.
In the study, 45.3% of the 446 patients who continued regular monitoring without intervention experienced serious health events such as death, stroke, or unplanned hospital visits, compared to 26.8% of the 455 patients who received TAVR. This suggests that intervening before symptoms develop could help preserve heart function and overall patient health.
Morristown Medical Center has the largest TAVR program in New Jersey and is among the top programs in the nation. Earlier this year, its structural heart program marked a significant milestone of performing over 5,000 TAVR procedures, the first in New Jersey and among the first to accomplish this in the United States.
Advancing the latest research and clinical trials and ultimately changing the way care is delivered remain a priority for Atlantic Health System, that champions research into a myriad of clinical applications through its Atlantic Center for Research.
