Evaluation of mesenteric artery disease in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis

The aim of this study is to evaluate the mesenteric artery stenosis (MAS) in routinely performed CT angiography (CTA) of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) planned for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) before the procedure. Patients with AS (AS group) who routinely underwent CTA before the TAVI procedure due to severe AS and patients who had CTA for other indications (control group) were retrospectively and sequentially scanned. The demographic characteristics of the patients in both groups were similar. Calcification and stenosis in the mesenteric arteries were recorded according to the localization of celiac truncus, superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA). Class 0-3 classification was used for calcification score. Stenoses with a stenosis degree ≥50% were considered as significant. A total of 184 patients, 73 patients with severe AS and 111 control groups, were included in the study. SMA and IMA calcification scores of patients with AS were significantly higher than the control group (p=0.035 for SMA and p=0.020 for IMA). In addition, the rate of patients with significant MAS in at least 1 artery (45.2% vs 22.5%, p=0.001) and the rate of patients with significant stenosis in multiple arteries were also significantly higher in the AS group (8.2% vs 1.8%, p=0.037). According to the study results, patients with AS are at a higher risk for MAS. Chronic mesenteric ischemia should be kept in mind in patients with AS who have symptoms such as non-specific abdominal pain and weight loss.