Multimodal Single-Cell Network Analysis Identifies Basigin/Cluster of Differentiation 147 as a Tumor-Associated Signaling Hub in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

During the past decade, the indication for treating aortic stenosis with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has expanded considerably, now including increasingly younger and lower surgical risk patients , . As TAVI is being offered to a broader and more heterogeneous population, identifying preprocedural risk factors associated with adverse outcomes has become increasingly important. Substance use, broadly defined, has previously been associated with longer hospital stays following TAVI . Opioid use, especially prescribtion opioids, may serve as a marker of underlying frailty and comorbidity in addition to its direct adverse physiological effects, which potentially contribute to worse postoperative outcomes. Opioid use may also be associated with impaired physical performance and hence limit the potential benefits of TAVI regarding symptom relief and life expectancy. Existing literature on opioids in relation to TAVI only addresses opioids used in peri-procedural sedation strategies and postoperative analgesia. Furthermore, some studies report a use of opioids among TAVI patients, indicating a general belief that such use potentially influence outcomes after TAVI , . However, it remains unknown whether the use of opioids before TAVI is associated with worse post-procedural outcomes. Such knowledge may contribute to patient counseling and clinical risk stratification, helping to clarify existing concerns regarding its use. Therefore, using a nationwide population, we aimed to examine the association between opioid use before TAVI and the associated risk of all-cause mortality and burden of hospitalization after TAVI.