TIA, stroke, and the bicuspid aortic valve

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Pathology

Background:

• Congenital bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common heart defect.
• BAV can lead to valve infection, calcification, stenosis, or insufficiency.
• Cerebral emboli are typically linked to valvular infection.

Observation:

• This study investigated four patients with BAV who experienced cerebral emboli without evidence of valvular infection.
• Cerebral angiography revealed no abnormalities in these patients.
• No extracardiac sources of emboli were identified.

Findings:

• Microthrombus formation was observed in the affected valves.
• Valvular thickening and incompetence were present.
• These factors likely contributed to the embolization events.

Implications:

• BAV should be considered a potential source of cerebral emboli, even in the absence of infection.
• Understanding these mechanisms may improve stroke risk assessment in BAV patients.
• Further research into non-infectious embolic events from BAV is warranted.