Quadricuspid Aortic Valve and Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Coincidence or Interconnection.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Rheumatology
• Genetics

Background:

• Quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) is a rare congenital heart anomaly.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease causing joint inflammation and deformity.
• The co-occurrence of QAV and RA is exceptionally rare in medical literature.

Observation:

• A 52-year-old female patient presented with Type C quadricuspid aortic valve and moderate to severe aortic regurgitation.
• The patient had a 15-year history of advanced rheumatoid arthritis with significant deformities in extremities and spine.
• Surgical aortic valve intervention was declined 4 years prior, with the patient currently under watchful follow-up.

Findings:

• This report documents the third known case of quadricuspid aortic valve associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
• The study highlights the extreme rarity of this combined comorbidity.
• This is the first report to specifically investigate the association between QAV and RA.

Implications:

• While the association may be coincidental, the shared genetic background of both conditions warrants further investigation.
• The potential for interconnectedness between QAV and RA as comorbidities is proposed.
• Further research is needed to explore any potential pathogenetic links or shared genetic predispositions.