Diagnostic and referral delay in patients with aortic stenosis is common and negatively affects outcome

• OBJECTIVE: Aortic stenosis (AS) patients are often severely symptomatic at the time of aortic valve replacement (AVR). We wanted to investigate doctors' delay and its impact on outcome. DESIGN: AS patients undergoing AVR (n = 422) were included. Clinical and echocardiographic data at the time of diagnosis and preoperatively were noted. The risk of death after AVR was estimated using Poisson regression, incorporating age, gender, coronary artery disease, NYHA III/IV and time on the waiting list for AVR. RESULTS: The age (mean+/-SD) was 71+/-8.6 years, 45% were women, and 48% were in NYHA III/IV. 55% underwent AVR within one year of diagnosis, indicating late diagnosis. The time from referral to AVR (median, range) was 112 (1-803) days. NYHA III/IV independently predicted mortality (hazard ratio 1.76, 95% CI 1.28-2.43, p = 0.0005). The time from referral to AVR influenced the risk of death immediately after operation (p = 0.0083). CONCLUSION: Late diagnosis and late referral for AVR are common, and negatively influence outcome in patients with AS. Delay in surgery after referral increase the mortality immediately after AVR.

Nyckelord

Aged

Aortic Valve Stenosis/*diagnosis/mortality/physiopathology/*surgery

Coronary Angiography

Female

Follow-Up Studies

*Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation

Humans

Kaplan-Meiers Estimate

Male

Odds Ratio

Poisson Distribution

Predictive Value of Tests

Prognosis

*Referral and Consultation

Research Design

Retrospective Studies

Risk Assessment

Severity of Illness Index

Sweden/epidemiology

Time Factors

*Waiting Lists

*Waiting Lists

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)