Patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement showed similar seven-year survival outcomes.
These outcomes were comparable to those of patients who had traditional surgery.
The findings are revealed in a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
They supplement previous results from the PARTNER 3 trial, which showed that patients who underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) experienced five-year survival rates similar to those who underwent traditional aortic valve replacement surgery.
Chris Maliasrie, professor of surgery in the division of cardiac surgery, who was a co-author of both studies, said: ‘TAVR is a reasonable option for patients with aortic stenosis with outcomes similar to surgical aortic-valve replacement at seven years. There may be a signal for better survival in surgical aortic valve replacement.’
Aortic stenosis occurs when the opening of the aortic valve narrows and restricts blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta.
Aortic stenosis is most commonly caused by ageing as calcium or scarring damages the aortic valve, restricting blood flow.
In the current study, 1,000 patients in the US with severe aortic stenosis and at low surgical risk who were randomised to receive either TAVR or surgical aortic valve replacement were monitored over a period of seven years.
In both groups, two primary endpoints were measured: either a composite of death, stroke, or rehospitalisation related to the procedure, the valve or heart failure; or death, disabling stroke, nondisabling stroke, along with the number of rehospitalisation days related to the procedure, the valve or heart failure.
At the end of the seven-year trial period, the investigators found that both primary endpoints were similar between the TAVR and surgery groups:
• Death: 19.5% and 16.8%
• Stroke: 8.5% and 8.1%
• Rehospitalisation: 20.6% and 23.5%.
The findings further support that TAVR is an effective treatment for aortic stenosis in patients with low surgical risk, Malaisrie said.
He added: ‘The 10-year analysis is planned, and that study will further define the difference in the individual endpoints of death, stroke and rehospitalisation.’
