Methods
A retrospective study in a cohort of post-operated patients with A.V.R. between January 1995 and January 2020. We included patients older than 18 years of age who met diagnostic criteria for severe valve dysfunction14, and the Heart Team decided to perform AVR using a biological or mechanical prosthesis15. All patients with signed informed consent format. Were excluded Patients with other cardiac intervention in addition to AVR, with significant coronary artery disease, immunodeficiency, and oncological or rheumatic disease
We included for the evaluation a control group with 80 healthy subjects matched by age and gender.
We extracted from the clinical record and performed a two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) before surgery, following the evaluation and recommendations for measuring the heart chambers16 to rule out structural abnormalities and valvular dysfunction. Through brachial venipuncture, blood samples were obtained for the quantification of inflammatory mediators. Pre and postoperative data were collected.
Enrollment did not imply additional diagnostic procedures to sampling and no alternative or additional treatments were performed. Data management was carried out in order to make identification of an individual patient and the need for consent was required. The protocol was approved by the local Ethics Committee Number 19-1139 and the registry in Clinical Trials NCT04557345