Background Bicuspid aortic valve patients have an increased risk of aortic dilatation. A deficit of nitric oxide synthase has been proposed as the causative factor. No correlation between flow-mediated dilation and aortic diameter has been performed in patients with bicuspid aortic valves and normal aortic diameters. Being a hereditary disease, we compared echocardiographic features and endothelial function in these patients and their first-degree relatives. Methods Comprehensive physical examinations, routine laboratory tests, transthoracic echocardiography, and measurements of endothelium-dependent and non-dependent flow-mediated vasodilatation were performed in 18 bicuspid aortic valve patients (14 type 1 and 4 type 2) and 19 of their first-degree relatives. Results The first-degree relatives were younger (36.7 ± 18.8 vs. 50.5 ± 13.9 years, p = 0.019) with higher ejection fractions (64.6% ± 1.7% vs. 58.4% ± 9.5%, p = 0.015). Aortic diameters indexed to body surface area were similar in both groups, the except the tubular aorta which was larger in bicuspid aortic valve patients (19.3 ± 2.7 vs. 17.4 ± 2.2 mm·m, p = 0.033). Flow-dependent vasodilation was similar in both groups. A significant inverse correlation was found between non-flow-dependent vasodilation and aortic root diameter in patients with bicuspid aortic valve ( R = -0.57, p = 0.05). Conclusions Bicuspid aortic valve patients without aortopathy have larger ascending aortic diameters than their first-degree relatives. Endothelial function is similar in both groups, and there is no correlation with ascending aorta diameter. Nonetheless, an inverse correlation exists between non-endothelial-dependent dilation and aortic root diameter in bicuspid aortic valve patients.
Trombosis sobre válvula protésica biológica. Reporte de caso
ResumenEl siguiente artículo reporta el caso clínico de una paciente portadora de trombosis valvular bioprotésica en posición aórtica. La trombosis sobre válvula bioprotésica es una patología de baja prevalencia pero que puede conducir a un aumento en la tasa de accidentes cerebrovasculares, así como a largo plazo ser un factor coadyuvante de degeneración bioprotésica. Actualmente, el diagnóstico de la misma se realiza mediante ecocardiografía por el hallazgo de un incremento del gradiente medio transvalvular mayor a 50%, engrosamiento de los velos o movimiento anormal de los mismos, con una especificidad de 93%. El tratamiento con warfarina mostró ser efectivo en 83% de los pacientes, según un estudio prospectivo, así como en el caso de nuestra paciente que luego del tratamiento presenta una clara mejoría sintomática con disminución de los gradientes transvalvulares.
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