Elderly patients with aortic stenosis who undergo transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) have similar rates of survival compared with those having surgical valve replacement, a study has found.

Patients having TAVR, however, are more likely to have repeat hospitalisations and aortic reinterventions than those having open heart surgery, the US researchers say.

The team compared the long-term risk of death or disabling stroke among 2032 ‘intermediate-risk’ patients (mean age 82) with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who were randomly assigned to undergo either TAVR or surgical replacement.

Patients were stratified according to intended transfemoral access (76%) or transthoracic access (26%), and more than two-thirds of the cohort had coronary artery disease.