Temporal Trends in Gender-Related Differences and Outcomes in Patients Who Underwent Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (from the Israeli Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Multicenter Registry)

Sex difference and outcome trends following surgical aortic valve replacement from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database

BACKGROUND

Based on worldwide registries, approximately 50% of patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) via surgical aortic valve replacement are females. Although AVR procedures have improved greatly in recent years, differences in outcome including mortality between sexes remain. We aimed to investigate the trends in SAVR outcomes in females versus males.

METHODS

Using the 2011-2017 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we identified hospitalizations for patients with diagnosis of aortic stenosis during which SAVR was performed. Patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, procedure complications, and mortality were analyzed. Piecewise regression analyses were performed to assess temporal trends in SAVR utilization in females versus males. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 392,087 hospitalizations for SAVR across the USA were analyzed. Utilization of SAVR in both sex patients decreased significantly during the years 2011-2017. Males compared to females had significantly higher rates of hyperlipidemia, chronic renal disease, peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease and tended to be smokers. Differences in mortality rates among sexes were observed for SAVR procedures. Women had higher in-hospital mortality with 3.7% compared to men with 2.5% (OR 1.38 [95% CI 1.33-1.43, P<0.001]). In a multivariable regression model analysis adjusted for potential confounders, women had higher mortality risk with odd ratio (OR 1.38 [95% CI 1.33-1.43], P<0.001). Women had significantly higher rates of vascular complications (5.1% compared to men with 4.6%, P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Utilization of SAVR showed a downward trend during the study period. Higher in-hospital mortality was recorded in females compared to males.

Treatment of Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis: Impact of Patient Sex and Life Expectancy on Treatment Choice

In adults with severe aortic stenosis, sex and age differences in symptoms and diagnosis may lead to delays in intervention. Choice of intervention partly depends on expected longevity because bioprosthetic valves have limited durability, particularly in younger patients. Current guidelines recommend the following: a mechanical valve in younger adults (aged <50 years) if lifelong anticoagulation is possible and acceptable and a valve-sparing procedure is not possible; surgical mechanical or bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in adults aged 50-65 years; and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for those aged >80 years based on lower mortality and morbidity compared to SAVR and adequate valve durability. For patients aged 65-80 years, the choice between TAVI and a bioprosthetic SAVR depends on expected longevity, which is greater in women than men, as well as associated cardiac and noncardiac conditions, valvular and vascular anatomy, estimated risk of SAVR versus TAVI and expected complications and patient preferences.

Sex difference and outcome trends following transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background

Based on worldwide registries, approximately 50% of patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are female patients. Although TAVR procedures have improved tremendously in recent years, differences in outcome including mortality between sexes remain. We aimed to investigate the trends in TAVR in the early and new eras of utilization and to assess TAVR outcomes in female patients vs. male patients.

Methods

Using the 2011–2017 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we identified hospitalizations for patients with the diagnosis of aortic stenosis during which a TAVR was performed. Patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, procedure complications, and mortality were analyzed. Piecewise regression analyses were performed to assess temporal trends in TAVR utilization in female patients and in male patients. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 150,647 hospitalizations for TAVR across the United States were analyzed during 2011–2017. During the study period, a steady upward trend was observed for TAVR procedures in both sexes. From 2011 to 2017, there were significantly more TAVR procedures performed in men [80,477 (53.4%)] than in women [70,170 (46.6%)]. Male patients had significantly higher Deyo-CCI score and comorbidities. Differences in mortality rates among sexes were observed, presenting with higher in-hospital mortality in women than in men, OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.18–1.35], p < 0.001.

Conclusion

Utilization of TAVR demonstrated a steady upward trend during 2011–2017, and a similar trend was presented for both sexes. Higher in-hospital mortality was recorded in female patients compared to male patients. Complication rates decreased over the years but without effect on mortality differences between the sex groups.

Gender Differences after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): Insights from the Italian Clinical Service Project

Background: TAVR is a safe alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR); however, sex-related differences are still debated. This research aimed to examine gender differences in a real-world transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) cohort. Methods: All-comer aortic stenosis (AS) patients undergoing TAVR with a Medtronic valve across 19 Italian sites were prospectively included in the Italian Clinical Service Project (NCT01007474) between 2007 and 2019. The primary endpoint was 1-year mortality. We also investigated 3-year mortality, and ischemic and hemorrhagic endpoints, and we performed a propensity score matching to assemble patients with similar baseline characteristics. Results: Out of 3821 patients, 2149 (56.2%) women were enrolled. Compared with men, women were older (83 ± 6 vs. 81 ± 6 years, p < 0.001), more likely to present severe renal impairment (GFR ≤ 30 mL/min, 26.3% vs. 16.3%, p < 0.001) but had less previous cardiovascular events (all p < 0.001), with a higher mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score (7.8% ± 7.1% vs. 7.2 ± 7.5, p < 0.001) and a greater mean aortic gradient (52.4 ± 15.3 vs. 47.3 ± 12.8 mmHg, p < 0.001). Transfemoral TAVR was performed more frequently in women (87.2% vs. 82.1%, p < 0.001), with a higher rate of major vascular complications and life-threatening bleeding (3.9% vs. 2.4%, p = 0.012 and 2.5% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.024). One-year mortality differed between female and male (11.5% vs. 15.0%, p = 0.002), and this difference persisted after adjustment for significant confounding variables (Adj.HR1yr 1.47, 95%IC 1.18–1.82, p < 0.001). Three-year mortality was also significantly lower in women compared with men (19.8% vs. 24.9%, p < 0.001) even after adjustment for age, STS score, eGFR, diabetes and severe COPD (Adj.HR3yr 1.42, 95%IC 1.21–1.68, p < 0.001). These results were confirmed in 689 pairs after propensity score matching. Conclusion: Despite higher rates of peri-procedural complications, women presented better survival than men. This better adaptive response to TAVR may be driven by sex-specific factors.

Effect of Sex on Mortality and Left Ventricular Remodeling After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

BACKGROUND

The effect of sex on mortality is controversial; furthermore, sex differences in left ventricular (LV) remodeling after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remain unknown.Methods and Results:This study included 2,588 patients (1,793 [69.3%] female) enrolled in the Optimized CathEter vAlvular iNtervention (OCEAN)-TAVI Japanese multicenter registry between October 2013 and May 2017. We retrospectively analyzed the effect of sex on mortality, and evaluated changes in the LV mass index (LVMI) after TAVI. Female sex was significantly associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (log-rank P<0.001 for both). Multivariate analysis showed that female sex was independently associated with lower cumulative long-term mortality (hazard ratio 0.615; 95% confidence interval 0.512-0.738; P<0.001). Regression in the LVMI was observed in both sexes, and there was no significant difference in the percentage LVMI regression from baseline to 1 year after TAVI between women and men. Women had a survival advantage compared with men among patients with LVMI regression at 1 year, but not among patients with no LVMI regression.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that female sex is associated with better survival outcomes after TAVI in a large Japanese registry. Although LVMI regression was observed in women and men after TAVI, post-procedural LV mass regression may be related to the sex differences in mortality.

Simultaneous Estimation of Gender Male and Atrial Fibrillation as Risk Factors for Adverse Outcomes Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Accurate outcome prediction following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has gained further importance along with expanding its indication to patients with a lower surgical risk. Although previous studies have evaluated the prognostic impacts of gender and atrial fibrillation (AF) in TAVI patients, these two factors have rarely been addressed simultaneously. This retrospective observational study based on a multicenter TAVI registry involved 1088 patients who underwent TAVI between May, 2010 and February, 2020 at 3 hospitals in Japan. Participants were divided into 4 groups by gender and pre-existing AF, such as Female AF(-) (n = 559), Male AF(-) (n = 266), Female AF(+) (n = 187) and Male AF(+) (n = 76). Primary and secondary endpoints were death due to any and cardiovascular cause, and the composite of all-cause death and heart failure hospitalization, respectively. The median follow-up period was 538 days. Cumulative incidences of primary and secondary endpoints were lower in the Female AF(-) group compared to the other 3 groups. Adjusted multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses showed an independent association of either or both of male gender and AF with adverse outcomes, when compared to the group with none of these (hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals vs. Female AF(-) (reference) for all-cause death of Male AF(-): 2.7, 1.6-4.6, p < 0.001, Female AF(+): 3.5, 2.1-6.0, p < 0.001, and Male AF(+): 3.9, 1.9-7.8, p < 0.001), while there was no evidence of their synergistic prognostic impact. Male gender and being complicated by AF independently, but not synergistically, predicted poor long-term outcomes in patients undergoing TAVI.

Impact of Gender on Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Outcomes

Previous studies indicate that women who underwentwho underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have poorer 30-day outcomes compared with men. However, the effect of gender as a prognostic factor for long-term outcomes following TAVI remains unclear. Between 2008 and 2018, all patients (n = 683) who underwent TAVI in 2 centres in Melbourne, Australia were prospectively included in a registry. The primary end-point was long-term mortality. The secondary end points were Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) in-hospital complications and mortality at 30-days and 1-year. Of 683 patients, 328 (48%) were women. Women had a higher mean STS-PROM score (5.2 ± 3.1 vs 4.6 ± 3.5, p < 0.001) but less co-morbidities than men. Women had a significantly higher in-hospital bleeding rates (3.3% vs 1.0%, Odds Ratio 4.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16 to15.25, p = 0.027) and higher 30-day mortality (2.4% vs 0.3%, hazard ratio [HR] 8.75, 95% CI 1.09 to 69.6, p = 0.040) than men. Other VARC-2 outcomes were similar between genders. Overall mortality rate was 36% (246) over a median follow up of 2.7 (interquartile rang [IQR] 1.7 to 4.2) years. Median time to death was 5.3 (95% CI 4.7 to 5.7) years. One-year mortality was similar between genders (8.3% vs 7.8%), as was long-term mortality (HR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.17, p = 0.38). On multivariable analysis, female gender was an independent predictor for 1-year mortality (HR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.11 to 4.92, p = 0.026), but not long-term mortality (HR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.14, p = 0.20). In the women only cohort, STS-PROM was the only independent predictor of long-term mortality (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.48, p < 0.001). In conclusion, women had higher rates of peri-procedural major bleeding and 30-day mortality following TAVI. However, long-term outcomes were similar between genders.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on female subjects undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation: Insights from the WIN-TAVI international registry

BACKGROUND

Female subjects constitute half of all transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) candidates, but the association between important comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (DM) and clinical outcomes after TAVI remains unclear in this group.

METHOD

WIN-TAVI is a real-world international registry of exclusively female subjects undergoing TAVI. The study population was stratified into those with (DM) and those without DM (NDM). Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 efficacy (composite of all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for valve-related symptoms or worsening congestive heart failure, or valve-related dysfunction) was the primary endpoint for this analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 1012 subjects included in this study, 264 (26.1%) had DM at baseline. DM patients were younger but had a higher burden of comorbidities. There were no differences in VARC-2 efficacy events between DM and NDM patients at 30 days or 1 year. Conversely, patients with DM had a lower risk of VARC-2 life threatening bleeding at 30 days and 1 year after TAVI compared to NDM patients, which remained significant even after multivariable adjustment (HR, 0.34, 95% CI, 0.12-0.99; p = .047). In the subgroup analysis, insulin-dependent DM was not associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Among female patients undergoing TAVI, more than one-fourth of the subjects presented with DM. At 1-year follow-up, DM was associated with lower bleeding complications and no increase in the risk of other adverse events, including mortality, after TAVI.

[TAVI in women, very encouraging results]

The population of elderly patients comprises a high percentage of women. This population is more vulnerable due to the presence of numerous comorbidities and is, therefore, particularly exposed to the risk of aortic valve degeneration, resulting in aortic valve stenosis whose symptoms are predictors of poor short-term outcomes. In the presence of symptomatic aortic stenosis, the recommended therapeutic option in this vulnerable population is the implementation of transcatheter aortic valve implantation, preferably via the femoral route. The outcomes of this procedure are better in women than in men despite a more frequent occurrence of vascular, bleeding and cerebral complications. Several hypotheses have been reported in the literature regarding the reasons for such differences. Among other reasons, it is likely that in female patients, the myocardium adjusts better to the occurrence of aortic stenosis and that recovery after valve treatment is also more optimal. Another explanation is the higher frequency of coronary artery disease in this older population. This has a considerable impact on the outcome even when coronary lesions are treated prior to valve implantation. There is still room for improvement and progress can be achieved by further reducing the size of the equipment used in order to decrease the diameter of the vascular access, and by continuing to simplify TAVI procedures. Less invasive techniques should result in decreased complication rates. In addition, dedicated studies should allow us to further improve our practice in this growing population of vulnerable patients.

Sex Differences in Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND

Transfemoral aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a guideline-recommended treatment option for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis. Women and men present with different baseline characteristics, which may influence procedural outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to evaluate differences between women and men undergoing transfemoral TAVR across the globe during the last decade.

METHODS

The CENTER (Cerebrovascular EveNts in patients undergoing TranscathetER aortic valve implantation with balloon-expandable valves versus self-expandable valves)-collaboration was a global patient level dataset of patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR (N = 12,381) from 2007 to 2018. In this retrospective analysis, the study examined differences in baseline patient characteristics, 30-day stroke and mortality, and in-hospital outcomes between female and male patients. The study also assessed for temporal changes in outcomes and predictors for mortality per sex.

RESULTS

We included 58% (n = 7,120) female and 42% (n = 5,261) male patients. Women had higher prevalence of hypertension and glomerular filtration rate <30 ml/min/1.73 m² but lower prevalence of all other traditional cardiovascular comorbidities. Both sexes had similar rates of 30-day stroke (2.3% vs. 2.5%; p = 0.53) and mortality (5.9% vs. 5.5%; p = 0.17). In contrast, women had a 50% higher risk of life-threatening or major bleeding (6.7% vs. 4.4%; p < 0.01). Over the study period, mortality rates decreased to a greater extent in men than in women (60% vs. 50% reduction; both p < 0.001), with no reductions in stroke rates over time.

CONCLUSIONS

In this global collaboration, women and men had similar rates of 30-day mortality and stroke. However, women had higher rates of procedural life-threatening or major bleeding after TAVR. Between 2007 and 2018, mortality rates decreased to a greater extent in men than in women.