| Summary: | Recently, two randomized trials, the PARTNER 3 and the Evolut Low Risk Trial, independently demonstrated that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is non-inferior to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis in patients at low surgical risk, paving the way to a progressive extension of clinical indications to TAVR. We designed a meta-analysis to compare TAVR versus SAVR in patients with severe aortic stenosis at low surgical risk. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019131125). Randomized studies comparing one-year outcomes of TAVR or SAVR were searched for within Medline, Scholar and Scopus electronic databases. A total of three randomized studies were selected, including nearly 3000 patients. After one year, the risk of cardiovascular death was significantly lower with TAVR compared to SAVR (Risk Ratio (RR) = 0.56; 95% CI 0.33−0.95; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.03). Conversely, no differences were observed between the groups for one-year all-cause mortality (RR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.42−1.07; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.10). Among the secondary endpoints, patients undergoing TAVR have lower risk of new-onset of atrial fibrillation compared to SAVR (RR = 0.26; 95% CI 0.17−0.39; <i>p </i><<i> </i>0.00001), major bleeding (RR = 0.30; 95% CI 0.14−0.65; <i>p </i><<i> </i>0.002) and acute kidney injury stage II or III (RR = 0.28; 95% CI 0.14−0.58; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.0005). Conversely, TAVR was associated to a higher risk of aortic regurgitation (RR = 3.96; 95% CI 1.31−11.99; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.01) and permanent pacemaker implantation (RR = 3.47; 95% CI 1.33−9.07; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.01) compared to SAVR. No differences were observed between the groups in the risks of stroke (RR= 0.71; 95% CI 0.41−1.25; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.24), transient ischemic attack (TIA; RR = 0.98; 95% CI 0.53−1.83; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.96), and MI (RR = 0.75; 95% CI 0.43−1.29; <i>p </i>=<i> </i>0.29). In conclusion, the present meta-analysis, including three randomized studies and nearly 3000 patients with severe aortic stenosis at low surgical risk, shows that TAVR is associated with lower CV death compared to SAVR at one-year follow-up. Nevertheless, paravalvular aortic regurgitation and pacemaker implantation still represent two weak spots that should be solved.
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