Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Beta-blocker (+) n=867 | Beta-blocker (−) n=1696 | P value | SMD | |
| Age, years | 85(82–88) | 85(81–88) | 0.91 | 0.005 |
| Male | 262 (30.2) | 527 (31.1) | 0.66 | 0.019 |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 21.9 (19.4–24.4) | 22.1 (19.7–24.3) | 0.44 | 0.032 |
| Body surface area, m2 | 1.40 (1.30–1.52) | 1.41 (1.30–1.54) | 0.28 | 0.045 |
| NYHA 3 or 4 | 479 (55.2) | 827 (48.8) | 0.002 | 0.13 |
| Hypertension | 691 (79.7) | 1280 (75.5) | 0.016 | 0.1 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 375 (43.3) | 729 (43.0) | 0.896 | 0.005 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 196 (22.6) | 351 (20.7) | 0.26 | 0.046 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 645 (74.4) | 1146 (67.6) | <0.001 | 0.15 |
| Previous ischaemic stroke | 78 (9.0) | 205 (12.1) | 0.018 | 0.1 |
| Previous haemorrhagic stroke | 3 (0.3) | 9 (0.5) | 0.52 | 0.028 |
| COPD | 138 (15.9) | 243 (14.3) | 0.29 | 0.044 |
| Peripheral artery disease | 145 (16.7) | 227 (13.4) | 0.023 | 0.093 |
| Coronary artery disease | 349 (40.3) | 597 (35.2) | 0.012 | 0.1 |
| Previous CABG | 71 (8.2) | 98 (5.8) | 0.02 | 0.095 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 227 (26.2) | 316 (18.6) | <0.001 | 0.18 |
| Permanent pacemaker | 70 (8.1) | 96 (5.7) | 0.019 | 0.096 |
| Liver disease | 27 (3.1) | 49 (2.9) | 0.75 | 0.013 |
| Active cancer | 43 (5.0) | 81 (4.8) | 0.84 | 0.009 |
| Clinical frail score | 0.36 | 0.060 | ||
| 1–4 | 655 (75.5) | 1237 (72.9) | ||
| 5,6 | 180 (23.1) | 392 (23.1) | ||
| 7,8 | 32 (3.7) | 67 (4.0) | ||
| STS score, % | 6.96 (4.84–10.2) | 6.30 (4.35–9.24) | <0.001 | 0.063 |
| Logistic EuroScore, % | 13.6 (8.83–22.1) | 12.7 (8.10–20.5) | 0.011 | 0.069 |
| Euro II score, % | 4.06 (2.61–6.30) | 3.57 (2.24–5.87) | 0.001 | 0.037 |
| Medication | ||||
| RAS inhibitors | 484 (55.8) | 889 (52.4) | 0.1 | 0.068 |
| Ca blockers | 376 (43.4) | 749 (44.2) | 0.7 | 0.016 |
| Digoxin | 22 (2.5) | 66 (3.9) | 0.075 | 0.077 |
| Any diuretic therapy | 570 (65.7) | 801 (47.2) | <0.001 | 0.38 |
| Statin | 380 (43.8) | 678 (40.0) | 0.061 | 0.078 |
| Laboratory | ||||
| Na, mEq/L | 140 (138–142) | 140 (138–142) | 0.55 | 0.002 |
| Hb, g/L | 110 (100–123) | 113 (102–125) | 0.022 | 0.081 |
| eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m2 | 47.6 (35.1–60.1) | 51.7 (39.0–64.1) | <0.001 | 0.2 |
| Albumin, g/dL | 3.80 (3.40–4.00) | 3.80 (3.50–4.10) | 0.005 | 0.11 |
| Albumin <3.5 g/dL | 223 (25.7) | 383 (22.6) | 0.077 | 0.073 |
| Brain natriuretic peptide, pg/mL | 355 (169–666) | 231 (103–515) | <0.001 | 0.18 |
| Brain natriuretic peptide ≥ 400 pg/mL | 322 (45.2) | 499 (32.8) | <0.001 | 0.26 |
| Preprocedural echocardiographic data/computed tomographic data | ||||
| Aortic valve are, cm2 | 0.61 (0.50–0.73) | 0.63 (0.51–0.75) | 0.033 | 0.086 |
| Peak velocity, m/s | 4.40 (4.00–4.98) | 4.58 (4.10–5.12) | <0.001 | 0.22 |
| Mean pressure gradient, mm Hg | 45.5 (36.0–57.7) | 49.0 (39.0–63.0) | <0.001 | 0.22 |
| LV end-diastolic diameter, mm | 44.0 (39.5–49.0) | 43.8 (40.0–48.0) | 0.88 | 0.035 |
| LV end-systolic diameter, mm | 28.3 (25.0–34.1) | 28.0 (24.5–32.4) | 0.012 | 0.12 |
| Left atrial diameter, mm | 43.0 (37.9–47.0) | 41.1 (37.1–46.0) | 0.004 | 0.089 |
| LVEF, % | 61.0 (51.0–66.9) | 63.0 (53.1–68.1) | <0.001 | 0.15 |
| LVEF <50% | 201 (23.2) | 324 (19.1) | 0.016 | 0.099 |
| Indexed stroke volume, mL/m2 | 42.5 (33.2–52.7) | 45.4 (36.9–54.4) | <0.001 | 0.22 |
| Indexed stroke volume <35 mL/m2 | 213 (29.6) | 281 (20.2) | <0.001 | 0.22 |
| AR ≥moderate | 98 (11.3) | 176 (10.4) | 0.48 | 0.03 |
| MR ≥moderate | 118 (13.6) | 170 (10.0) | 0.007 | 0.11 |
| Bicuspid | 23 (2.7) | 41 (2.4) | 0.72 | 0.015 |
| Annulus area, mm2 | 389 (346–442) | 390 (349–439) | 0.75 | 0.01 |
| SOV mean diameter, mm | 29.3 (27.6–31.4) | 29.4 (27.6–31.5) | 0.4 | 0.024 |
| Procedural data | ||||
| Transfemoral approach | 700 (80.7) | 1446 (85.3) | 0.003 | 0.12 |
| Elective | 810 (93.4) | 1604 (94.6) | 0.95 | 0.048 |
| Local anaesthesia | 206 (23.8) | 401 (23.6) | 0.65 | 0.003 |
AR, aortic regurgitation; CABG, coronary artery bypass grafting; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; Hb, haemoglobin; LV, left ventricular; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MR, mitral regurgitation; NYHA, New York Heart Association; RAS, renin–angiotensin system; SMD, standardised mean difference; SOV, sinus of Valsalva; STS, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality.