Female sex is independently associated with reduced inpatient mortality after endovascular repair of blunt thoracic aortic injury.

BACKGROUND

Female sex has been associated with decreased mortality after blunt trauma, but whether sex influences the outcomes of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for traumatic blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is unknown.

METHODS

In this retrospective study of a prospectively maintained database, the Vascular Quality Initiative registry was queried from 2013 to 2020 for patients undergoing TEVAR for BTAI. Univariate Student's t-tests and χ2 tests were performed, followed by multivariate logistic regression for variables associated with inpatient mortality.

RESULTS

Of 806 eligible patients, 211 (26.2%) were female. Female patients were older (47.9 vs 41.8 years, P < .0001) and less likely to smoke (38.3% vs 48.2%, P = .044). Most patients presented with grade III BTAI (54.5% female, 53.6% male), followed by grade IV (19.0% female, 19.5% male). Mean Injury Severity Scores (30.9 + 20.3 female, 30.5 + 18.8 male) and regional Abbreviated Injury Score did not vary by sex. Postoperatively, female patients were less likely to die as inpatients (3.8% vs 7.9%, P = .042) and to be discharged home (41.4% vs 52.2%, P = .008). On multivariate logistic regression, female sex (odds ratio [OR]: 0.05, P = .002) was associated with reduced inpatient mortality. Advanced age (OR: 1.06, P < .001), postoperative transfusion (OR: 1.05, P = .043), increased Injury Severity Score (OR: 1.03, P = .039), postoperative stroke (OR: 9.09, P = .016), postoperative myocardial infarction (OR: 9.9, P = .017), and left subclavian coverage (OR: 2.7, P = .029) were associated with inpatient death.

CONCLUSIONS

Female sex is associated with lower odds of inpatient mortality after TEVAR for BTAI, independent of age, injury severity, BTAI grade, and postoperative complications. Further study of the influence of sex on postdischarge outcomes is needed.