Meta-Analysis Comparing Valve Durability Among Different Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Bioprosthesis

Durability of transcatheter heart valve (THV) is critical as the indication of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) expands to patients with longer life-expectancy. We aimed to compare the durability of different THV systems (balloon-expandable [BE] and self-expandable [SE]) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) prosthesis. PUBMED and EMBASE were searched through February 2021 for randomized trials investigating parameters of valve durability after TAVI and/or SAVR in severe aortic stenosis. A network meta-analysis using random-effect model was performed. Synthesis was performed with 5-year follow-up data for echocardiographic outcomes and the longest available follow-up data for clinical outcomes. Ten trials with a total of 9,388 patients (BE-THV: 2,562; SE-THV: 2,863; SAVR: 3,963) were included. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 6 years. SE-THV demonstrated significantly larger effective orifice area, lower mean aortic valve gradient (AVG), and less increase in mean AVG at 5-year compared with BE-THV and SAVR. Structural valve deterioration (SVD) was less frequent in SE-THV compared with BE-THV and SAVR (HR 0.14, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.27; HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.47, respectively). Total moderate-severe aortic regurgitation and reintervention was more frequent in BE-THV (HR 4.21, 95% CI 2.40 to 7.39; HR 2.22, 95% CI 1.16 to 4.26, respectively), and SE-THV (HR 7.51, 95% CI 3.89 to 14.5; HR 2.86, 95% CI 1.59 to 5.13, respectively) compared with SAVR. In conclusion, TAVI with SE-THV demonstrated favorable forward-flow hemodynamics and lowest risk of SVD compared with BE-THV and SAVR at mid-term. However, both THV systems suffer an increased risk of AR and re-intervention, and long-term data from newer generation valves is warranted.