Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with less oxidative stress and faster recovery of antioxidant capacity than surgical aortic valve replacement

The objective of this study was to compare oxidative stress indices in 24 patients (mean ± SD age 71 ± 13 years) undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), copper/zinc ratio (Cu/Zn), activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were assessed at four different time-points: pre-procedure, immediately post-procedure, and one day and two days after the procedure. All oxidative stress parameters were comparable in both groups pre-procedure. TAC decreased significantly when assessed immediately after procedures in both groups (p < 0.001); however, the magnitude of the reduction was more pronounced after SAVR (88% decrease from baseline: 1.8 ± 0.1 vs. 0.2 ± 0.03 mM) compared to TAVR procedures (53% decrease from baseline: 1.9 ± 0.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.1 mM; p < 0.001). TAC returned to baseline two days after TAVR in all patients, but was still reduced by 55% two days after SAVR. In concordance, TBARS levels and Cu/Zn ratio increased significantly with maximum levels immediately after procedures in both groups (p < 0.001), but the magnitude of the increase was significantly higher in SAVR compared to TAVR (TBARS: 3.93 ± 0.61 µM vs. 1.25 ± 0.30 µM, p = 0.015; Cu/Zn ratio: 2.33 ± 0.11 vs. 1.80 ± 0.12; p < 0.001). Two days after the procedure, TBARS levels and the Cu/Zn ratio returned to baseline after TAVR, with no full recovery after SAVR. TAVR is associated with a lesser redox imbalance and faster recovery of antioxidant capacity compared to SAVR.