Aortic regurgitation detected with Doppler echocardiography in apparently healthy adolescents

In this study, we sought to determine the prevalence and characteristics of aortic regurgitation (AR) in apparently healthy adolescent students. A total of 315 healthy junior high school students underwent echocardiographic examination. There were 158 boys and 157 girls, with a mean +/- standard deviation age of 13.3 +/- 0.9 years (range, 13-15 yr). AR was found in six (2%) students. Five of the six (83%) with AR had minimally thickened aortic valves: three (50%) had a thickened right coronary cusp and four (67%) had a thickened noncoronary cusp, but none had a thickened left coronary cusp. The AR was mild in five (83%) students and moderate in one (17%). Two of the six students had aortic valve prolapse, both of whom had minimal thickening. One student with AR did not have any abnormal structural changes, and one had aortic root dilatation. No cardiac chamber dilatation was noted in students with AR. These findings indicate a relatively high prevalence of AR in apparently healthy adolescents.