[An echocardiographic study of the aortic root in ankylosing spondylitis]

The inflammatory condition in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) may affect cardiac structures, being the aortic valve mostly studied. Several studies regard the existence of a subaortic ridging as specific for AS. Our objective was to assess abnormalities in the aortic root in AS using echocardiography and its relation to HLA B-27 and clinical parameters of the disease. Thirty patients with no clinical, radiographic or electrocardiographic evidence of cardiovascular disease were studied by monodimensional, bidimensional and Doppler echocardiography. After an initial ultrasound examination to detect subclinical cardiac abnormalities, aortic root dimensions were measured at the aortic annulus, at the tip of the cusps and 1 cm above the cusps. The existence of subaortic ridging was assessed using bidimensional echocardiography. As clinical parameters were estimated duration of AS, sacroiliac joint X-ray involvement and activity of disease. The results are compared with those in a control group of thirty healthy people with same age, sex and corporal surface. No statistical differences were observed in the mean values of aortic root dimensions between the two groups; in patients with AS were not seen significant differences in the echocardiographic measurements related to clinical parameters or HLA B-27. Only in one patient was observed the characteristic subaortic ridging (4%, NS compared to control group). We conclude, in contrast to other authors, that in patients with AS without cardiovascular disease echocardiographic examination of aortic root does not detect significant abnormalities.