Sex-specific differences in alive hospital discharge following infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A longer time to alive hospital discharge following infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is associated with reduced patient-satisfaction and increased length of stay, hospital-acquired deconditioning, infection and costs. This study investigated sex-specific differences in, and drivers of, the rate of alive hospital discharge. METHODS: Examination of UK National Vascular Registry (UK NVR), 2014-2019 and Swedish National Patient Registry (SE NPR) elective AAA patients, 2010-2018, for endovascular (EVAR) or open (OAR) aneurysm repair. Cox models assessed sex-specific difference in rate of alive hospital discharge, adjusting for co-morbidity, anatomy, standard-of-care, post-operative complications, and year, with in-hospital death as the competing risk. RESULTS: 29,751 AAA repairs (UK NVR -EVAR 12518:1532; OAR 6803:837; SE NPR - EVAR 4234:792; OAR 2638:497, men:women) were assessed. For EVAR, the unadjusted rate of alive hospital discharge was ∼25% lower for women (UK NVR HR 0.75 [0.71-0.80], p<.001; SE NPR HR 0.75 [0.69-0.81], p<.001). Following adjustment the sex-specific hazard ratio narrowed but remained significant (UK NVR: HR 0.83 [0.79-0.88], p<.001; SE NPR HR 0.83 [0.76-0.89], p<.001). For OAR, the rate of alive hospital discharge was 23-27% lower for women (UK NVR HR 0.73 [0.67-0.78], p<.001; SE NPR HR 0.77 [0.70-0.85], p<.001). Following adjustment the sex-specific hazard ratio narrowed (UK NVR HR 0.82 [0.76-0.88], p<.001; SE NPR HR 0.79 [0.72-0.88], p<.001) but remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: Women have a 25% lower rate of alive discharge after aortic surgery, despite adjustment for pre/peri- and postoperative parameters. Efforts to increase rate of alive hospital discharge for women should be sought.

Long-term Survival After Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Is Improving Over Time: Nationwide Analysis During Twenty-four Years in Sweden (1994-2017).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate long-term survival after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) repair in Sweden during twenty-four years (1994-2017). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Management of rAAA has seen significant changes in the past decades, with the shifting from open (OAR) to endovascular (EVAR) being the most striking, thereby enabling treatment of elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. METHODS: A registry-based nationwide cohort study was performed, and three 8-year periods (1994-2001, 2002-2009, 2010-2017) were compared for crude long-term survival with Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses. Relative survival compared to matched general population referents was estimated. RESULTS: Overall, 8928 rAAA repair subjects were identified (1994-2001 N = 3368; 2002-2009 N = 3405; 2010-2017 N = 2155). The proportion of octogenarians (20.6%; 27.5%; 34.0%; P < 0.001), women (14.3%; 18.5%; 20.6%; P < 0.001), and EVAR procedures (1.5%; 14.9%; 35.5%; P < 0.001) increased over time. The crude 5-year survival was 36%; 44%; 43% (P < 0.0001). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis displayed a decreasing mortality hazard ratio (HR) over time (1.00; 0.80; 0.72; P < 0.001). Use of EVAR was associated with reduced hazards of crude long-term mortality (HR = 0.80, P < 0.001). Relative survival for patients surviving the perioperative period (ie, 90 days) was lower than matched general population referents, and was stable over time (relative 5-year survival: 86% vs 88%, vs 86% P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Nationwide analysis of long-term outcomes after repair of rAAA in Sweden during 24 years (1994-2017) has revealed that, despite changes in the baseline population characteristics as well as in the treatment strategy, long-term survival improved over time.

Nationwide Study of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms During Twenty Years (1994-2013).

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiology of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (RAAA) in Sweden over 20 years, and assess the effect of endovascular repair (EVAR) on surgical treatment rate and outcome. METHODS: All Swedish citizens >50 years with RAAA 1994 to 2013 were extracted from 3 national (Cause of Death, Patient, and Vascular Surgical) registries. Incidence, proportion repaired, surgical techniques, and 90-day mortality were assessed based on sex and age groups, with regression analysis. RESULTS: 18,726 individuals with RAAA were identified, 74.0% men. The incidence of RAAA decreased from 33.1/100,000: 1994 to 21.3/100,000: 2013 (relative change -35.6%, P < 0.001). The proportion of men with RAAA undergoing repair was 44.5%: 1994-1998, 49.7%: 2009-2013 (+11.7%, P < 0.001). In women, 22.3% were repaired in 1994-1998, versus 28.2%: 2009-2013 (+26.4%, P < 0.001). The proportion undergoing repair increased in octogenarians (men: +44.3%, P < 0.001; women +49.3%, P = 0.001). EVAR increased from 0% initially to 42.3% in men and 41.2% in women 2013. Overall, mortality rate among all individuals with RAAA decreased, men 75.8%: 1994-1998, 64.8%: 2009-2013 (-14.5%, P < 0.001); women 88.5%: 1994-1998, 82.2%: 2009-2013 (-7.1%, P < 0.001). Among those who underwent repair, mortality was 47.0% in men: 1994-1998, 31.8%: 2009-2013 (-32.3%, P < 0.001); women 51.8%: 1994-1998, 41.4%: 2009-2013 (-20.1%, P = 0.010). CONCLUSION: RAAA mortality among men decreased, mainly attributed to falling incidence of RAAA. The mortality was further reduced by more patients being offered repair, increasingly often with EVAR, and improved survival after repair. Incidence of rupture remained unchanged among women, who had higher RAAA mortality. Focused efforts to reduce RAAA mortality among women are warranted.

The Outcome after Endovascular and Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms-A Binational Study Conducted between 1998 and 2017.

Objective: We aimed to analyse patient outcomes following open (OAR) or endovascular repair (EVAR) of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in Finland and Sweden from 1998 to 2017. Both intact and ruptured AAAs (rAAAs) were included in the analysis. Methods: Patient-level data from national registries in Finland and Sweden were analysed, pairing operations for intact and ruptured AAA repair with mortality data (date of death). All-cause mortality was the primary endpoint. Anonymized patient data from both countries were pooled, comprising a total of 32,324 operations. Ruptured and intact AAAs were considered separately. In total, EVAR was performed on 9619 intact AAAs and 1470 rAAAs, while OAR was performed on 13,241 intact AAAs and 7994 rAAAs. The patient's age, sex and the date of operation were obtained as demographic information. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to evaluate long-term (10-year) survival after the treatment of AAA or rAAA with either modality. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed in three different age groups (<65 years, 65-79 years and ≥80 years). Results: Considering all age groups together, the 1-, 3- and 10-year Kaplan-Meier survival rates after EVAR were 93.4%, 80.5% and 35.3%, respectively, for intact AAA repair and 67.2%, 55.9% and 22.2%, respectively, for rAAA repair. For OAR of intact AAAs, the 1-, 3- and 10-year Kaplan-Meier survival rates were 92.1%, 84.8% and 48.7%, respectively. The respective rates for OAR of rAAAs were 55.4%, 49.3% and 24.6%. In a Cox regression analysis, a more recent year of operation was associated with improved survival, and older age affected survival negatively for both intact and ruptured AAA repair. If patients survived the first 90 days after the operation, the survival after intact AAA repair was 13.5 years for those <65 years (general population: 18.0 years), and 7.3 years for those ≥80 years (general population: 7.9 years). After rAAA repair, the mean survival was 13.1 years for patients <65 years and 5.5 years for patients ≥80 years, respectively. Conclusions: The long-term survival of patients undergoing intact AAA treatment at the age of 80 or older is close to that of the general population, provided they survive the operation. Conversely, for patients younger than 65, the long-term survival is markedly worse. The long-term survival of AAA patients has improved over time. Open surgery is still a safe and effective option for young patients undergoing intact AAA repair. Our results support the ESVS guidelines recommendation of EVAR being the first-line treatment for patients with rAAA.

Effect of EVAR on International Ruptured AAA Mortality-Sex and Geographic Disparities.

Background: We sought to investigate the differential impact of EVAR (endovascular aneurysm repair) vis-à-vis OSR (open surgical repair) on ruptured AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm) mortality by sex and geographically. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of administrative data on EVAR from state statistical agencies, vascular registries, and academic publications, as well as ruptured AAA mortality rates from the World Health Organization for 14 14 states across Australasia, East Asia, Europe, and North America. Results: Between 2011-2016, the proportion of treatment of ruptured AAAs by EVAR increased from 26.1 to 43.8 percent among females, and from 25.7 to 41.2 percent among males, and age-adjusted ruptured AAA mortality rates fell from 12.62 to 9.50 per million among females, and from 34.14 to 26.54 per million among males. The association of EVAR with reduced mortality was more than three times larger (2.2 vis-à-vis 0.6 percent of prevalence per 10 percentage point increase in EVAR) among females than males. The association of EVAR with reduced mortality was substantially larger (1.7 vis-à-vis 1.1 percent of prevalence per 10 percentage point increase in EVAR) among East Asian states than European+ states. Conclusions: The increasing adoption of EVAR coincided with a decrease in ruptured AAA mortality. The relationship between EVAR and mortality was more pronounced among females than males, and in East Asian than European+ states. Sex and ethnic heterogeneity should be further investigated.