Outcomes of Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Implantation for Aortic Stenosis in Patients With Hepatic Cirrhosis

Current risk prediction tools for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) do not include variables associated with clinically significant hepatic disease. Accordingly, outcome data of TAVI or SAVR in patients with liver cirrhosis are limited. We sought to assess contemporary trends and outcomes of TAVI and SAVR in patients with liver cirrhosis using a national database. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent TAVI or SAVR between 2003 and 2014. Outcomes of propensity-matched groups of patients undergoing TAVI or SAVR were assessed. The reported number of TAVI and SAVR procedures in patients with liver cirrhosis increased from 376 cases in 2003 to 1,095 cases in 2014. A total of 1,766 patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent TAVI (n = 174) or SAVR (n = 1,592) were included in the analysis. In-hospital mortality was higher in patients who underwent SAVR versus TAVI (20.2% vs 8%, p <0.001). Major adverse events were also more frequent after SAVR. Propensity matching attained 2 groups of 268 patients who underwent TAVI (n = 134) or SAVR (n = 134). Following propensity matching, in-hospital mortality remained higher in the SAVR group (18.7% vs 8.2%, p = 0.018), but major adverse events were not different between the 2 groups. Hospital length of stay was longer, and nonhome disposition rates were higher in the SAVR group. In conclusion, the number of reported TAVI and SAVR in patients with liver cirrhosis and aortic stenosis increased 3-folds between 2003 and 2014. In these patients, TAVI was associated with lower in-hospital mortality when compared with SAVR.