OBJECTIVES
This population-based cohort study investigated mid-term outcome after surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) with a bioprosthetic or mechanical valve prosthesis in patients aged <50 years in a European social welfare state.
METHODS
We analyzed patient data from the main social insurance carriers in Austria (2010–2020). Subsequent patient-level record linkage with national health data provided patient characteristics and clinical outcome. Survival, reoperation, myocardial infarction, heart failure, embolic stroke or intracerebral haemorrhage, bleeding other than intracerebral haemorrhage, and major adverse cardiac events were evaluated as outcomes.
RESULTS
A total of 991 patients were analyzed. Regarding demographics, no major differences between groups were observed. Multivariable Cox regression revealed no significant difference in overall survival (p = 0.352) with a median follow-up time of 6.2 years. Reoperation-free survival was decreased (HR = 1.560 [1.076–2.262], p = 0.019) and the risk for reoperation was increased (HR = 2.770 [1.402–5.472], p = 0.003) in patients who received bioprostheses. Estimated probability of death after reoperation was 0.23 [CL: 0.08–0.35] after two years and 0.34 [CL: 0.06–0.53] after ten years over both groups. Regarding further outcomes, no significant differences between the two groups were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
In patients below 50 years of age receiving AVR, implantation of bioprostheses when compared to mechanical heart valve prostheses was associated with a significantly higher rate of reoperations and reduced reoperation-free survival. Nevertheless, we could not observe a difference in overall survival. However, long-term follow-up has to evaluate that a significantly lower rate of reoperations may translate in consistently improved long-term survival.