A unique international task force, comprised of representatives from cardiology and cardiothoracic societies as well as patient representatives, has developed the first standardized set of measures for heart valve disease (HVD) that moves from procedure- to patient-centered outcomes regardless of treatment type, according to a document by the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) published Feb. 17 in JACC: Advances.

Led by the Heart Valve Society, the Task Force developed the standard set to monitor the patient's journey through the health care system (pre-, peri- and postprocedural phases) from diagnosis to treatment with either a surgical or transcatheter procedure. Candidate clinical and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and case mix were identified through benchmark analyses and systematic reviews.

Adults with aortic, mitral or tricuspid valve disease or with a root/ascending aorta >40 mm were included. Five outcome domains were defined: vital status, PROMs, progression of disease, cardiac function and durability, and complications of treatment. Furthermore, 16 outcome measures, including two PROMs, were selected.

Resources included in the document to assist implementation include figures and tables outlining core domains and included outcomes; definitions of the domains and related outcomes; definitions of durability and complication of treatment domains, and more.

Core Domains and Included Outcomes

The authors note that because the Set is endorsed by major societies, inclusion in HVD clinical practice guidelines and societal databases are next steps. They write that implementation will "facilitate global standardization of outcome measurement and allow meaningful comparison among health care systems, evaluation of clinical practice guidelines, and eventual improvement of patient care worldwide for those who experience HVD."

The Task Force included the ACC, American Heart Association, European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, European Society of Cardiology, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Australian & New Zealand Society of Cardiac & Thoracic Surgeons, International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology, International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery, South African Heart Association, Heart Valve Voice, and Global Heart Hub.