Higher rate of aortic stenosis progression in patients with bicuspid versus tricuspid aortic valve - A single center experience.

PURPOSE: We sought to investigate aortic stenosis (AS) progression rate (pr) with the comparison between bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) morphology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared ASpr in patients with BAV and TAV examined by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the years 2004-2019.

RESULTS: Data from 363 TTEs in 161 AS patients (median age 70 [61-77] years; 63% men; 25% with BAV; 20% with severe AS) performed at different time points (median time interval 10 months) was analyzed. We assessed changes of AS severity with peak velocity through aortic valve (Vmax), mean/peak pressure gradients (MG/PG), aortic valve area by planimetry and continuity equation (AVAce). We compared pr (defined as parameter change per year) between the BAV and the TAV groups. BAV patients showed faster ASpr with odds ratio 3.467 and 95% confidence intervals 1.36 to 8.86, moreover, expressed as a quicker AVAce decrease 0 (-0.4-0.0) in the BAV vs. 0 (-0.15 - 0.0) cm2 /year in the TAV group, p ​= ​0.02. Furthermore, in BAV, female sex was associated with lower ASpr (p ​= ​0.01), and in the whole group a larger aortic diameter was a predictor of faster progression (p ​< ​0.001).

CONCLUSION: The ASpr, expressed as a decrease in the AVAce, was faster in BAV. Moreover, ASpr depends on both: valve morphology being faster in BAV and Vmax increase. Furthermore, the female sex was related to slower pace of AVA reduction in BAV subgroup whereas the larger baseline aortic diameter associated to faster AS progression in the whole studied group.