Quantitative echocardiographic analysis of the aortic arch predicts outcome of balloon angioplasty of native coarctation of the aorta.

BACKGROUND: The use of balloon angioplasty for treatment of native aortic coarctation is controversial. Cineangiographic data suggest that aortic arch hypoplasia and isthmic narrowing are associated with angioplasty failure. This study of echocardiographic measurements of preangioplasty aortic arch morphology was performed to identify potential anatomic predictors of outcome noninvasively.

METHODS AND RESULTS: The preangioplasty echocardiograms of 105 patients 3 days to 17 years old with native coarctation of the aorta were analyzed off-line. Angioplasty was considered successful if the residual coarctation gradient was < 20 mm Hg and no intervention for recoarctation occurred. Univariate analysis identified young age at angioplasty, presence of a patent ductus arteriosus, and the diameters of the aortic isthmus, distal transverse arch, and aortic valve as predictors of early and late outcomes. Multivariate analysis showed that the preangioplasty aortic isthmus z value was the best independent predictor of outcome, eliminating the effect on outcome of age and associated cardiac defects. An isthmus z value < or = -2.16 predicted early failure with 91% sensitivity and 85% specificity. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that 90% of patients with an isthmus z value > -1.0 remained free of recoarctation at late follow-up, whereas 89% of patients with a preangioplasty isthmus z value < or = -2.0 developed recoarctation within 36 months.

CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic measurements of the aortic arch predict both early and late outcomes of balloon angioplasty for native aortic coarctation, and the preangioplasty aortic isthmus z value was the best independent predictor. Quantitative aortic arch analysis may improve selection of angioplasty candidates who are likely to benefit from the procedure.