The impact of gender on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation between self-expanding valve and balloon-expandable valve.

Background: While females have been found to have a higher rate of procedural complications with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) than males, the effect of valve choice has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the impact of gender and choice of balloon or self-expanding valve on TAVI complications.

Methods: Data from patients who received a TAVI in our institution from January 2016 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 971 patients were included and divided into self-expanding valve (n = 315) and balloon-expandable valve (n = 656) groups. The endpoints were 30-day mortality, need for a new pacemaker, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) which is defined as cardiac arrest, stroke, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, and unplanned vascular surgery/intervention.

Results: There were more females in the self-expanding valve group than in the balloon-expandable valve group (64.1 % vs. 43.6 %: p < 0.0001). There is no significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, current smoker, hemodialysis, and the STS risk score between the 2 groups. Females had a higher rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (3.7 % in men vs. 6.8 % in women; p = 0.043), which was driven mostly by vascular complications. This difference was particularly observed in the self-expanding valve group (2.7 % in men vs. 9.4 % in women; p = 0.036).

Conclusions: TAVI complications were more common in females than males, driven mostly by vascular complications. This difference was particularly observed in woman treated with a self-expanding valve. Particular attention should be given to access choices in females undergoing TAVI.