Nationwide Registry‐Based Analysis of Infective Endocarditis Risk After Pulmonary Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) after pulmonary valve replacements in congenital heart disease is a significant concern. This study aimed to identify specific long‐term risk factors for IE after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation or surgical pulmonary valve replacement. METHODS AND RESULTS: All patients with congenital heart disease from the National Register for Congenital Heart Defects with at least 1 pulmonary valve replacement before January 2018 were included. A total of 1170 patients (56.3% men, median age at study inclusion 12 [interquartile range {Q1–Q3} 5–20 years]) received 1598 pulmonary valve replacements. IE occurred in 4.8% of patients during a follow‐up of total 9397 patient‐years (median 10 [Q1–Q3, 6–10] years per patient). After homograft implantation 7 of 558 (1.3%) patients developed IE, after heterograft implantation 31 of 723 (4.3%) patients, and after Melody valve implantation 18 of 241 (7.5%) patients. Edwards Sapien and mechanical valves were used less frequently and remained without IE. The incidence of IE in heterografts excluding Contegra valves was 7 of 278 (2.5%), whereas the incidence of IE in Contegra valves was 24 of 445 (5.4%). The risk of IE was not increased compared with homografts if Contegra valves were excluded from the heterografts (hazard ratio [HR], 2.60; P=0.075). The risk of IE was increased for bovine jugular vein valves, Contegra valves (HR, 6.72; P<0.001), and Melody valves (HR, 5.49; P<0.001), but did not differ between Melody valves and Contegra valves (HR, 1.01; P=0.978). CONCLUSIONS: Bovine jugular vein valves have the highest risk of IE, irrespective of the mode of deployment, either surgical or percutaneous.