TRI-SCORE and benefit of intervention in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation

Background and aims: Benefit of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) correction and timing of intervention are unclear. This study aimed to compare survival rates after surgical or transcatheter intervention to conservative management according to TR clinical stage as assessed using the TRI-SCORE. Methods: 2,413 patients with severe isolated functional TR were enrolled in TRIGISTRY (1217 conservatively managed, 551 isolated tricuspid valve surgery and 645 transcatheter valve repair). The primary endpoint was survival at 2 years. Results: The TRI-SCORE was low (≤3) in 32%, intermediate (4-5) in 33% and high (≥6) in 35%. A successful correction was achieved in 97% and 65% of patients in the surgical and transcatheter groups, respectively. Survival rates decreased with the TRI-SCORE in the three treatment groups (all P < 0.0001). In the low TRI-SCORE category, survival rates were higher in the surgical and transcatheter groups than in the conservative management group (93%, 87% and 79%, respectively; P = 0.0002). In the intermediate category, no significant difference between groups was observed overall (80%, 71% and 71%, respectively; P = 0.13) but benefit of the intervention became significant when the analysis was restricted to patients with successful correction (80%, 81% and 71%, respectively; P = 0.009). In the high TRI-SCORE category, survival was similar between groups even when restricted to patients with successful correction (61%, 68% and 58% respectively, P = 0.08). Conclusion: Survival progressively decreased with the TRI-SCORE irrespective of treatment modality. Compared to conservative management, an early and successful surgical or transcatheter intervention improved 2-year survival in patients at low and, to a lower extent, intermediate TRI-SCORE, while no benefit was observed in the high TRI-SCORE category.