ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement potentially affects the outcome after the operation. This study sought to determine whether PPM has an impact on long- term mortality and reoperation rates. METHODS: We included 645 patients who underwent biological aortic valve replacement between 2000 and 2007. Based on echocardiographic examinations at postoperative month six, the incidence of PPM was determined according to an indexed effective orifice area < 0.85 m2/cm2. Survival and reoperation status were analyzed over 15 years of follow-up. RESULTS: PPM was present in 256 patients (40%), of whom 175 had moderate and 81 severe PPM. In multivariable-adjusted analysis, survival was not statistically significantly impaired in patients with moderate PPM compared to no PPM, whereas severe PPM showed a marginally significant impairment of survival (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.40 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0,99-1,97; p=0.054). Risk factors for survival were higher age (HR 1.12 (95% C.I. 1.10-1.14; p<0.001), arterial hypertension (HR 1.78 (95% C.I. 1.38-2.31; p<0.001), and diabetes mellitus (HR 1.67 (95% C.I 1.31-2.14; p<0.001). In patients with no, moderate and severe PPM, there were 10.1, 8.5, and 14.8 events of reoperation/1000 patient-years, respectively. The corresponding 10-year cumulative incidence of reoperation was 8.3%, 6.7%, and 12.1%, respectively. In multivariable-adjusted analysis, PPM category was not significantly associated with the risk of reoperation (p>0.2). CONCLUSIONS: In our study with directly measured effective orifice area, PPM was only marginally related to long-term survival and was not statistically significantly associated with the risk of reintervention.
