Combined mitral and aortic regurgitation in ankylosing spondylitis

Syphilis as a Cause of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

“…2,3 Ankylosing spondylitis was ruled out by the absence of arthritic disease, by the minimal involvement of the tubular portion of ascending aorta, by extension of the process into the walls of the sinus portion of aorta and onto the bases of the aortic valve cusps, and by the extension of the process onto the anterior mitral leaflet and into the membranous ventricular septum. 4,5 All 23 patients at operation were stated to have 3-cuspid aortic valves that were free of calcific deposits. The free margins, mainly their central portions, were described as being mildly thickened in some patients.…”

Cardiovascular manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis

“…AI is usually a feature of longstanding disease (2,8) and 4 of our patients were older than 40 when AI was diagnosed. Other cardiovascular complications of AS, only rarely seen are mitral insufficiency (13,18) and large vessel arteritis affecting the branches of the arch of the aorta (19). Although in most cases AI is clinically not significant, acute fulminant AI necessitating emergency valve replacement early in the course of AS has been described (15,16).…”

Severe giant cell valvulitis in a patient with reiter's syndrome

“…One can see a thickened and dilated aorta in ankylosing spondylitis, as well as aortic insufficiency with shortened, thickened aortic valve cusps (12). Mitral regurgitation is less common and rarely severe (12)(13)(14)(15). However, histologically one seens intimal proliferation and adventitial scarring in the aorta, and while lymphocytes and plasma cells may appear, there are no giant cells (12).…”