Optimal timing of aortic valve replacement in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Purpose: The elderly population with severe aortic stenosis (AS) requiring aortic valve replacement (AVR) is increasing. The optimal timing of AVR in these patients has been under discussion.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data from severe AS patients (n = 84) who underwent AVR with/without concomitant procedures from 2005 to 2010. The symptom status, preoperative data, operative outcome, late survival and freedom from cardiac events were compared between elderly patients (age ≥80 years [n = 31]) and younger patients (age <80 years [n = 53]).

Results: The operative mortality in elderly patients (3.2 %) and younger patients (3.8 %) was comparable. The symptoms in elderly patients were more severe and hospitalized heart failure (HF) was more frequently noted as the primary symptom (p = 0.017). Patients with and without hospitalized HF differed significantly in late survival and freedom from cardiac events (p = 0.001), but advanced age had no significant effect. The results of a Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that hospitalized HF was a significant predictor for cardiac events after AVR, irrespective of age (hazard ratio 6.93, 95 % confidence interval 1.83-26.26, p < 0.004).

Conclusions: In elderly patients with severe AS, surgery should be recommended even in the presence of minimal symptoms and should be performed before the onset of life-threatening HF.