Sex-based differences in left ventricular assist device clinical outcomes

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Devices
• Public Health

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) is a major public health concern with significant morbidity and mortality risks for both genders.
• Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is a common treatment for advanced HF, but gender-specific outcomes are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of gender on readmission rates and other clinical outcomes following LVAD implantation in patients with advanced HF.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 11,492 patients who underwent LVAD implantation for advanced HF between 2014 and 2020 was conducted using the Nationwide Readmissions Database.
• Patients were stratified by gender, and outcomes including 30-day readmission, inpatient mortality, length of stay, and complication rates were analyzed using multivariate regression models.

Main Results:

• Female patients (22%) had significantly higher readmission rates (21% vs. 17%, p=0.02) and readmission events (HR: 1.24, p=0.03) compared to male patients (78%).
• No statistically significant differences were observed between genders in inpatient mortality, length of stay, or most procedural complication rates.

Conclusions:

• Female patients exhibit higher readmission rates post-LVAD implantation compared to males.
• These findings suggest a need for closer monitoring and targeted interventions for female patients to reduce readmission rates after LVAD implantation.