TABLE E3. Overview of the variables tested in the Cox proportional hazard regression analysis.

For this analysis we constructed a composite endpoint but only 14 total adverse events occurred (4 deaths [2 in-hospital and 2 late], 4 SVD, 3 reoperations [not due to SVD, 2 caused by endocarditis], 1 stroke and 2 TIA). The small number of events made the Cox model unstable, which resulted in unreliable results without clinical relevance, as evidenced by the extremely wide 95% confidence levels.

Tirone David valve-sparing aortic root replacement patient variables (n=233)
	HR	95 % Conf-L	95 % Conf-U	P-value
Age (y)	0.902	0.845	0.962	0.002
Gender	1.963	0.393	9.794	0.411
Weight (kg)	1.015	0.967	1.066	0.550
Height (m)	0.944	0.887	1.005	0.073
STBSA (m2)	0.818	0.0216	30.903	0.915
LVEF (%)	0.953	0.871	1.042	0.289
MFS or other CTD	3.506	0.567	21.675	0.177
BAV	6.426	0.747	55.318	0.090
Aortic cusp repair	0.686	0.166	2.832	0.603
Arch replacement	12.377	1.289	118.879	0.029
CPB (min)	1.000	0.984	1.016	0.994
XC (min)	1.002	0.978	1.027	0.879
AR > 2+ preoperative	6.038	1.361	26.795	0.018

HR= hazard ratio; 95% Conf-L and 95 Conf-U= lower and upper 95% confidence levels; LVEF= left ventricular ejection fraction; MFS= the Marfan Syndrome; CTD= connective tissue disorder; BAV= bicuspid aortic valve; CPB= cardio-pulmonary bypass; XC= aortic crossclamp; AR= aortic regurgitation.