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Bicuspid aortic valve: abnormal aortic elastic properties.
Stefano Nistri1, Maria Domenica Sorbo, Cristina Basso
1Medical Service, Regione Carabinieri Veneto, Padova, Italy. snistri@tin.it
The Journal of Heart Valve Disease
|June 12, 2002
Summary
Young males with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) have larger aortic roots and impaired aortic elasticity. This suggests an intrinsic structural abnormality affecting both the aortic valve and ascending aorta in BAV patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Medical Imaging
- Genetics and Development
Background:
- Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is linked to aortic abnormalities, suggesting a shared developmental origin.
- Investigating aortic elastic properties in BAV patients is crucial for understanding this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the elastic properties of the aortic root in young males with BAV.
- To determine if aortic structural abnormalities in BAV manifest as impaired elasticity.
Main Methods:
- Transthoracic echocardiography was used to study 49 young males with isolated BAV.
- A control group of 45 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects was included for comparison.
Main Results:
- BAV patients exhibited significantly larger aortic root dimensions compared to controls.
- Aortic distensibility was reduced, and the aortic stiffness index was significantly higher in BAV patients.
- The difference between systolic and diastolic diameters of the aortic root was smaller in BAV patients.
Conclusions:
- Young males with BAV show enlarged aortic size and abnormal elastic properties of the ascending aorta.
- These findings support the concept of an intrinsic structural aortic abnormality in BAV patients.
- Aortic root dilatation in BAV is a morphological indicator of underlying aortic disease.