Abstract
BACKGROUND: Health inequalities in cardiovascular care have been identified in the UK. The sociodemographic characteristics of patients undergoing intervention for aortic stenosis (AS) in England, and the impact of COVID-19, is unknown. METHODS: National linked data sets identified all surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for AS, and post-intervention cardiovascular mortality, between 2000 and 2023. RESULTS: Of 179 645 procedures, there were 139 990 SAVR (mean age 71±10.8 years, 64% male, 96.0% white) and 39 655 TAVI (mean age 81±7.7 years, 57% male, 95.7% white). Rates of SAVR declined during COVID-19 for all groups, but TAVI rates increased steadily. Women were older; ethnic minority groups and those from most deprived areas were younger, with greater comorbidities. Women and more deprived groups had lower rates of SAVR (age-standardised rates per 100 000 in 2020-2023: 17.07 vs 6.65 for men vs women; 9.82 vs 10.10 for Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)-1 vs IMD-5) and TAVI (20.20 vs 9.79 for men vs women; 9.55 vs 13.36 for IMD-1 vs IMD-5). These discrepancies widened over time. Ethnic differences were observed for SAVR, with the lowest rates in black patients. Cardiovascular mortality post-intervention was lower in female patients and with decreasing deprivation, with no ethnicity-based differences. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in intervention rates for AS in England, with lower rates in female patients and to a lesser extent, those from the most deprived areas and ethnic minority groups. These variations have widened over time. Post-intervention cardiovascular mortality is lower in women and with decreasing deprivation. Public health measures and research are needed to identify the true prevalence of AS in different populations, and the reasons for potential inequalities.