by Karolinska Institutet

Regression standardized cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality after surgical aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve prosthesis in Sweden between 2003 and 2018. Credit: JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7525

Researchers at the Thoracic Surgery research group, the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, have performed a study of patients who underwent bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement in Sweden between 2003 and 2018.

The study is published in JAMA Network Open and shows varying performance between different mechanical cardiac valves.

Aortic valve disease is a disease where that the valve which is located between the heart and the aorta is not working properly. The treatment consists of replacing the aortic valve with a prosthetic aortic valve. Prosthetic aortic valves can be biological or mechanical, where younger patients often receive mechanical aortic valves.

"In our study, we have identified a model of mechanical aortic valves which performs worse compared to other mechanical aortic valves. After adjusting for baseline variables, such a comorbidities and socioeconomic factors, the estimated death 10 years after surgery was 27% in patients having received the Bicarbon valve model, compared to 17% in patients having received the Carbomedics, Regent or Standard valve models," says lead author Malin Granbom Koski, Ph.D. student at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet.

"Given the results of our study, it could be relevant to follow the patients who received the valve model that showed worse performance more closely, in order to discover and treat possible complications."

"Through the Swedish Cardiac Surgery Register (which is part of the SWEDEHEART register) we identified more than 5,000 patients who received a mechanical aortic valve in Sweden between 2003 and 2018. The data from the Swedish Cardiac Surgery Register was combined with data from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare and from Statistics Sweden."

"We will continue to perform studies investigating different factors which might affect clinical results after aortic valve replacement surgery. Through this we hope to increase the knowledge of prosthetic valves, and through that contribute to better care for patients with aortic valve disease."

More information: Malin Granbom Koski et al, Comparative Long-Term Clinical Performance of Mechanical Aortic Valve Prostheses, JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7525

Journal information: JAMA Network Open 

Provided by Karolinska Institutet