Abstract 15691: Permanent Pacemaker Implantation After Aortic Valve Surgery for Infective Endocarditis Was Associated With an Increased Risk of Heart Failure

Background Surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with a high risk of receiving a new permanent pacemaker. The clinical impact of permanent pacemaker implantation in these patients is unknown. Research question Does permanent pacemaker implantation after aortic valve surgery for IE affect long-term clinical outcomes? Aims To analyze the risk of mortality, heart failure hospitalization, and prosthetic valve endocarditis in patients who received a permanent pacemaker within 30 days of aortic valve surgery for IE.

Methods: In this nationwide, population-based, observational cohort study based on the SWEDEHEART register, we included all patients who underwent primary aortic valve replacement for IE in Sweden from 1997 to 2022. Patients with a preoperative cardiac implantable electronic device were excluded. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were heart failure hospitalization and prosthetic valve endocarditis. Follow-up was complete. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to account for intergroup differences and flexible parametric models were used to estimate cause-specific hazards and cumulative incidences.

Results: Among 2110 patients, 131 patients (6%) received a new permanent pacemaker, and 1979 patients (94%) did not. The mean age was 59 years, and 433 patients (21%) were female. During a mean follow-up time of 8.5 years (maximum 26 years), 873 patients (41%) died. The cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization at 20 years was 66% (95% CI 46%-79%) versus 61% (95% CI 58%-64%) and 45% (95% CI 33%-58%) versus 32% (95% CI 29%-34%) in the pacemaker versus the non-pacemaker group, respectively. After adjustment, there was no difference in the risk of mortality (HR 1.14, 95% CI: 0.82-1.59) or reinfection (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.63-1.59), but the risk of heart failure was increased in the pacemaker group (HR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.11-2.52).

Conclusion Permanent pacemaker implantation after aortic valve surgery for IE was associated with an increased risk of heart failure, but there was no difference in the risk of long-term mortality or prosthetic valve endocarditis. These results suggest that patients who receive a pacemaker after surgery for IE warrant careful observation.