Persistent reduction in the age adjusted mortality rate from aortic valve surgery in the United State with elimination of gender gap in recent years

Abstract

Background: Advancement in the surgical techniques should translate into better outcome. The goal of this study was to evaluate mortality trends from aortic valve surgery in the United State using large inpatient database. Method: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to calculate the age-adjusted mortality rate from aortic valve surgery from 1988 to 2011 in the United State using ICD-9 coding for aortic valve surgery. Results: We found that age adjusted mortality rate from aortic valve surgery gradually decreased from 1988 until end of study in 2011 to the lowest level with elimination of gender gap that was seen in the early years. For men, age adjusted mortality rate from aortic valve surgery in 1988 was 438 per 100,000 with steady reduction to the lowest level of 214 per 100,000 in 2011 which remained unchanged from 2007. For women, age adjusted mortality from aortic valve surgery was 620 per 100,000 in 1988 with steady reduction to the lowest level of 235 per 100,000 in 2011 which also remained unchanged since 2007. Conclusion: Age adjusted mortality from aortic valve surgery has been gradually decreasing in the last decade and remained stable at the lowest rates in recent years suggesting improvement in surgical technics and post-surgical care.