Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: To describe the rate of observed complications and mortality, by sex, among patients receiving cardiovascular interventions in the Netherlands.
METHODS: Data from 2018 - 2023 were extracted from the Hart & Vaatcijfers analysis tool, a collaboration between the Dutch Heart Foundation and Netherlands Heart Registration (NHR), which facilitates national quality registrations in collaboration with healthcare professionals and patient organizations to monitor and enhance cardiac care quality. Descriptive statistics were reported on complications and outcomes among patients receiving interventions including cardiac ablation, cardiac surgery, pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Annual incidence of complications and outcomes were stratified by sex.
RESULTS: The rate of complications and mortality from intervention varied by sex. Of males with cardiac ablation (N=27,144), 35.1% experienced complications compared to 13.1% among females. For females undergoing cardiac surgery (N=12,810), 5.1% died within the first year compared to 3.8% among males undergoing cardiac surgery (N=43,637). Of females with PCI (N=59,963), 2.8% died within the first year compared to 1.6% among males with PCI (N=161,876). For patients undergoing TAVI (males N=9,171, females N=7,712), mortality rates were similar across sex (males 2.8%, females 2.4%). Of patients receiving pacemaker or ICD (males N=69,875, females N=39,326), mortality rate was 2.0% for females and 2.1% in males.
CONCLUSIONS: Mortality and complication rates among patients with a cardiac intervention vary by sex. Further research is needed to understand gender disparities including adjustments for confounders. Exploration is ongoing to assess linkage between NHR and the PHARMO Data Network, offering opportunities for deeper investigation, as richer clinical data will allow for more complex analysis and follow-up of patients.