Trends and Outcomes of Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease on Hemodialysis

Abstract

Hemodialysis (HD) patients with aortic stenosis are less likely to undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) due to their excess perioperative mortality. We aimed to evaluate contemporary utilization and outcomes of combined and isolated AVR in HD patients. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify 142,046 patients who underwent AVR in 2005 to 2014, of whom 2,264 (1.6%) were on HD. Crude and adjusted in-hospital outcomes and costs were assessed in unmatched and propensity-matched cohorts of HD and non-HD patients, respectively. The utilization of AVR in HD patients increased significantly (p = 0.047), with a significant decrease in mortality (p = 0.013). Compared with patients not on HD, crude in-hospital mortality in HD patients was twice higher (11.8% vs 6.2%, p <0.0001). HD patients had more blood transfusion and a trend toward more strokes. Lengths of stay and hospital charges, and rates of nonhome discharges were also higher in the HD group. In the propensity-matched cohorts of HD versus non-HD patients, in-hospital mortality rates after AVR remained twofold higher in the HD group (8.1% vs 3.9%, p <0.001). Rates of blood transfusion, cardiac tamponade, length of stay, hospital charges, and nonhome discharges were also higher in HD patients. In conclusion, AVR utilization in HD patients increased and its associated mortality decreased over the last decade. However, AVR mortality in HD patients remained twofold higher compared with non-HD patients. Also, AVR in HD patients was associated with higher cost, longer hospitalizations, and more frequent nonhome discharges.