A direct correlation between commissural orientation and annular shape in bicuspid aortic valves: a new anatomical...

The shape of the aortic annulus is still under debate. Recent findings suggest a possible gradual spectrum of circularity from tricuspid aortic valves (TAVs), to type 1 bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) to type 0 BAVs. BAVs have been recently classified in a symmetrical (type A), asymmetrical (type B) or very asymmetrical (type C) phenotype according to the commissural orientation (CO) (160°-180°, 140°-159° and 120°-139°, respectively). The aim of this study is to verify in BAVs the correlation between the aortic annular shape and the CO of valve cusps and to suggest a new anatomical and geometric classification of BAVs based on CO and annular shape.

We retrospectively selected 191 consecutive patients who underwent both electrocardiography-gated computed tomography scan of the aortic root and transthoracic echocardiography between January 2016 and June 2019. The population was divided into 2 groups: 54 BAVs and 137 TAVs. We analysed the subgroup of BAV patients and divided them into group A, group B and group C depending on the CO. The shape of the aortic annulus was considered 'circular' or 'elliptic' according to the ellipticity index (EI).We studied the possible correlation between CO and annular shape in BAVs. We also analysed the subgroup of TAV patients studying their annular shape and EI.

After univariate linear regression, BAV patients showed a significant correlation between the CO and the EI (R = -0, 445, R2 = 0, 198, P = 0.001). As the CO decreases, the EI increases and approaches an elliptical shape. After grouping BAVs according to the CO, a mean EI of 1.10 ± 0.07 was found in group A, 1.13 ± 0.08 in group B, 1.18 ± 0.07 in group C, P = 0.0097 indicating a gradual spectrum of ellipticity with the decrease of CO. TAVs subgroup showed a mean EI of 1.27 ± 0.09, suggesting that the more the CO is reduced in BAVs, the more the annulus probably tends towards the very elliptical shape of TAVs.

This study shows a linear correlation between CO and annular shape in BAVs. In particular, the aortic annulus follows a continuous spectrum of ellipticity depending on the CO. These findings lay the groundwork for a new anatomical classification of BAVs based on CO and annular shape.