EARLY TAVR Analysis Measures Influence of Patient Age on Outcomes

May 2, 2025—Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) announced that an analysis from the EARLY TAVR trial showed patients aged 65 to 70 years derived the most benefits from a strategy of early intervention with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) compared to other age groups—especially in terms of stroke risk and the composite of death, stroke, and heart failure (HF) hospitalization.

The late-breaking data were presented at the SCAI 2025 scientific sessions held May 1-3 in Washington, DC. The SCAI study abstract is available online here.

According to SCAI, the randomized, controlled EARLY TAVR trial demonstrated that in patients with asymptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (AS), a strategy of early TAVR was superior to clinical surveillance (CS) for the primary endpoint of death, stroke, or unplanned cardiovascular hospitalization.

The study was composed of 901 patients with asymptomatic severe AS and randomized 455 patients into an early TAVR group and 446 into a CS group. The average follow-up time was 3.8 years. Baseline characteristics and health status were similar between treatment groups.

The analysis of EARLY TAVR presented at SCAI 2025 reported on whether a patient’s age should influence decision-making on procedural timing for these patients, stated the press release.

As summarized by SCAI, older age was associated with higher rates of death, stroke, or HF hospitalizations up to 5 years postprocedure for both patient groups.

Early TAVR demonstrated benefits over CS across all age groups, including the following:

• Patients aged 65 to 69 years who underwent early TAVR derived the most benefits compared to those who had CS—with significant reduction in stroke risk (0% vs 13%) and a six-times-lower rate of death, stroke, or hospitalization (4.7% vs 25.6%) up to 5 years postprocedure.
• Patients aged > 80 years also derived the most benefits regarding stroke risk, with early TAVR strategy associated with a four-fold reduction in stroke at up to 5-year follow-up compared to CS.

Philippe Généreux, MD, with Morristown Medical Center in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, is lead author of the study.

“These results are important and highlight the benefits of early intervention among younger patients with asymptomatic severe AS, especially in regard to stroke risk, a complication which is the most feared by patients,” commented Dr. Généreux in the SCAI press release. “We are discovering that AS itself might be an important risk factor of stroke if left untreated. Taking all together and given the benefits and the lack of risks in patients 65 years or greater, early TAVR should be preferred to CS in all age groups.”