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Left Atrial Stenosis Induced Pulmonary Venous Arterialization and Group 2 Pulmonary Hypertension in Rat
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Published on: November 18, 2018

Bilateral ostial coronary stenosis and rheumatic aortic valve stenosis

Alexeyi Sorokin, Hellmuth Weich, Anton Doubell

    Acute Cardiac Care
    |August 4, 2006
    PubMed

    Insights

    This case study highlights syphilitic aortitis as a cause of coronary ostial disease leading to angina. The patient also had rheumatic aortic valve disease, which worsened the symptoms.

    Area of Science:

    • Cardiology
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Vascular Medicine

    Background:

    • Syphilitic aortitis is a rare but serious complication of untreated syphilis.
    • Aortic valve disease can be caused by various etiologies, including rheumatic heart disease and syphilitic aortitis.

    Observation:

    • A 49-year-old patient presented with angina pectoris and echocardiographic findings of rheumatic aortic valve stenosis and regurgitation.
    • CT angiography revealed curvilinear calcification of the aorta and severe coronary ostial stenosis, suggesting syphilitic aortitis.

    Findings:

    • Positive syphilis serology (RPR titre 1/16) confirmed the diagnosis of syphilis.
    • Severe coronary ostial disease, likely due to syphilitic aortitis, was identified as the primary cause of angina.
    • The patient's rheumatic aortic valve disease exacerbated the anginal symptoms.

    Implications:

    • This case underscores the importance of considering syphilitic aortitis in the differential diagnosis of coronary ostial disease, even in the presence of other cardiac conditions.
    • Early diagnosis and treatment of syphilitic aortitis are crucial to prevent severe cardiovascular complications.
    • Multimodality imaging, including CT angiography, plays a vital role in diagnosing complex aortovascular diseases.

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