Meta-Analysis Comparing the Incidence of Infective Endocarditis Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement

Infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is a rare but life-threatening complication. Paravalvular regurgitation, compression of native leaflets, and space between transcatheter valve prosthesis and native valves could dispose TAVI recipients at increased risk of IE compared with SAVR. To assess the comparative risk of IE between TAVI and SAVR, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. A literature search of PUBMED and EMBASE was performed to identify randomized controlled trials that reported the event rate of IE in both TAVI and SAVR. A Mantel-Haenszel method and a random-effects model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The studied outcomes were early (at 1-year), late (>1-year), and overall IE (postprocedure to longest follow-up) in TAVI versus SAVR. We performed subgroup analysis based on valve-type (self or balloon-expandable) and surgical risk (high or intermediate). A total of 4 studies with 3,761 (1,895 TAVI and 1,866 SAVR) patients were included. The incidence of early IE, (3 studies, 0.86% vs 0.73%, OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.65, p = 0.71, I² = 0%), late IE (mean follow-up 2.0 years) (3 studies, 1.3% vs 0.6%, OR 1.85, 95% CI 0.81 to 4.20, p = 0.42, I² = 0%), and overall IE (mean follow-up 3.4 years) (4 studies, 2.0% vs 1.3%, OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.43, p = 0.18, I² = 0%) was similar between TAVI and SAVR. Subgroup analysis suggested that in intermediate surgical risk cohort, there was a trend toward increased risk of overall IE in TAVI (2.3% in TAVI and 1.2% in SAVR, OR 1.92, 95% CI 0.99 to 3.72, p = 0.05 I² = 0%). In this meta-analysis, we did not find an increased risk of IE in TAVI compared with SAVR. Appropriate preventative measure and early recognition of IE in these cohorts are important.