Sex Disparities in the Treatment of Aortic Stenosis and Related Outcomes: An Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample

IntroductionThe impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on sex disparities has not been well established. This study sought to examine the impact of sex on outcomes following aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS) in the era of routine TAVR. MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (2009-18) to study AS visits for all AVR, and in-hospital outcomes as a function of sex. Survey estimation commands were used to provide national estimates. ResultsThere were an estimated 431,344 surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and 189,137 TAVR inpatient visits. Mortality was higher in women after SAVR (3.8%+/- 0.1 vs 2.7%+/- 0.07, p<0.001) and TAVR (2.4%+/- 0.1 vs 1.7%+/- 0.1, p<0.001) compared to men. Female patients undergoing SAVR had higher rates of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation, stroke, and bleeding (5.9%+/- 0.1 vs 5%+/- 0.1, 2.8%+/- 0.1 vs 2.3%+/- 0.07, and 37.8%+/- 0.8 vs 29.8%+/- 0.6; p<0.001, respectively) but lower rates of acute kidney injury (AKI) (16.4%+/- 0.3 vs 20.3%+/- 0.3, p<0.001). Women undergoing TAVR had higher rates of stroke and bleeding (2.4%+/- 0.1 vs 1.6%+/- 0.09 and 28.7%+/- 0.6 vs 22%+/- 0.5; p<0.001 respectively) but lower rates of PPM and AKI (9.5%+/- 0.3 vs 10.7%+/- 0.2 and 11.3%+/- 0.3 vs 13.4%+/- 0.3; p<0.001, respectively). Compared with isolated SAVR, isolated TAVR was associated with lower mortality in women during 2016-18, both after multivariable adjustment (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.27-0.60) and propensity matching (mean difference 0.66%+/- 0.2), however there was no difference in men. ConclusionAlthough women continue to have higher in-hospital mortality following both TAVR and SAVR as compared to men, TAVR is associated with a lower in-hospital mortality in women compared to SAVR. Thus, TAVR may represent a potential intervention to narrow the sex-based disparities in the management of AS.