Patient characteristics
| Total Mean±SD or n (%) (n=159) | Control group Mean±SD or n (%) (n=70) | Procedural-refinement group Mean±SD or n (%) (n=89) | P value | |
| Age (years) | 81.5±8.0 | 82.4±7.5 | 80.9±8.3 | 0.380 |
| Female gender | 66 (41.5) | 34 (48.6) | 32 (36.0) | 0.109 |
| Smoker former or current | 86 (54.1) | 42 (60.0) | 44 (49.4) | 0.185 |
| Aortic valve pathology | 0.583 | |||
| Degenerative | 156 (98.1) | 68 (97.1) | 88 (98.9) | |
| Previous bioprosthesis | 3 (1.9) | 2 (2.9) | 1 (1.1) | |
| Comorbidities/history | ||||
| COPD | 23 (14.5) | 9 (12.9) | 14 (15.7) | 0.609 |
| Previous stroke | 10 (6.3) | 4 (5.7) | 6 (6.7) | 1.000 |
| Previous myocardial infarction | 36 (22.6) | 17 (24.3) | 19 (21.3) | 0.660 |
| Previous PCI | 23 (14.5) | 8 (11.4) | 15 (16.9) | 0.334 |
| Previous BAV | 35 (22.0) | 20 (28.6) | 15 (16.9) | 0.077 |
| Previous CABG | 37 (23.3) | 16 (22.9) | 21 (23.6) | 0.913 |
| Logistic Euro Score (%) | 13.1±9.9 | 14.4±11.2 | 11.8±8.4 | 0.217 |
| ECG and echocardiography | ||||
| Rhythm | 0.278 | |||
| Sinus rhythm | 107 (67.3) | 45 (64.3) | 62 (69.7) | |
| Atrial fibrillation | 38 (23.9) | 16 (22.9) | 22 (24.7) | |
| Paced | 14 (8.8) | 9 (12.9) | 5 (5.6) | |
| LVEF | 0.755 | |||
| <30% | 13 (8.2) | 5 (7.1) | 8 (9.0) | |
| 30%–49% | 28 (17.6) | 11 (15.7) | 17 (19.1) | |
| >49% | 118 (74.2) | 54 (77.1) | 64 (71.9) | |
| Pulmonary hypertension | 19 (11.9) | 10 (14.3) | 9 (10.1) | 0.421 |
| Mitral regurgitation | 0.612 | |||
| None or mild | 143 (89.9) | 62 (88.6) | 81 (91.0) | |
| Moderate to severe | 16 (10.1) | 8 (11.4) | 8 (9.0) | |
BAV, balloon aortic valvuloplasty; CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention.