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Investigating Aortic Valve Calcification via Isolation and Culture of T Lymphocytes using Feeder Cells from Irradiated Buffy Coat
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Investigating Aortic Valve Calcification via Isolation and Culture of T Lymphocytes using Feeder Cells from Irradiated Buffy Coat

Published on: February 4, 2021

Association of aortic-valve sclerosis with cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in the elderly

C M Otto1, B K Lind, D W Kitzman

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-6422, USA.

The New England Journal of Medicine
|July 15, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Aortic sclerosis, common in older adults, significantly increases cardiovascular death risk by about 50%. This finding highlights the importance of monitoring valve health in the elderly population.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Geriatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Aortic-valve stenosis is a known risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
  • The association between aortic sclerosis and cardiovascular events remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between aortic sclerosis and cardiovascular events in an elderly population.
  • To determine if aortic sclerosis, without significant obstruction, increases cardiovascular risk.

Main Methods:

  • Echocardiograms of 5621 elderly individuals (≥65 years) were analyzed.
  • Subjects were categorized into normal, sclerotic, or stenotic aortic valves.
  • Follow-up for 5 years assessed all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, angina, heart failure, and stroke.

Main Results:

  • Aortic sclerosis was present in 29% of subjects.
  • A stepwise increase in mortality was observed with increasing aortic valve abnormality.
  • Aortic sclerosis was associated with a 1.52-fold increased risk of cardiovascular death and a 1.40-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction.

Conclusions:

  • Aortic sclerosis is prevalent in the elderly.
  • Aortic sclerosis independently increases cardiovascular mortality and myocardial infarction risk by approximately 50%.
  • These risks are present even without hemodynamically significant outflow obstruction.
Abstract

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