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Degree of left ventricular dilatation at end‐diastole: Correlation and prognostic utility of quantitative volumes by 2D‐echocardiography versus linear dimensions in patients with asymptomatic aortic regurgitation
Author(s) -
Barbieri Andrea,
Benfari Giovanni,
Giubertoni Elisa,
Manicardi Marcella,
Bursi Francesca,
Rossi Andrea,
Maritan Luca,
Venturi Gabriele,
Boriani Giuseppe
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/echo.14815
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , asymptomatic , ejection fraction , heart failure , diastole , cohort , cardiac imaging , blood pressure
Background Guideline recommendations for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in asymptomatic patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) have historically focused on linear dimensions without normalization for the body surface area (BSA). Values for grading the severity of end‐diastolic volume dilatation by 2D echocardiography remain to be established. Methods and Results We retrospectively analyzed 543 consecutive asymptomatic patients with pure chronic moderate/severe AR (mean age 66 ± 17 years, 37.7% males). Applying the ASE/EACVI guidelines, BSA‐indexed LV end‐diastolic volume (LVEDVi) and indexed LV end‐diastolic diameter (LVEDDi) were assessed. Then, we identified 192 patients with at least mild LV end‐diastolic dilatation by volumetric or linear measurements. The outcome endpoint was the combination of cardiac death, hospitalization for acute heart failure or AVR during a median follow‐up of 4.5 ± 3.6 years. Multivariable Cox regression analyses including age, LV ejection fraction (EF) and AR severity showed an independent prognostic value of the LVEDDi and LVEDVi ( P < .001 and P < .01, respectively). Congruent severe LVEDDi and LVEDVi dilatation was associated with a higher event rate compared to discordant severe LV end‐diastolic dilatation or nonsevere LV dilatation ( P = .001) even after landmark analysis ( P = .02). In patients with EF > 50%, only the LVEDVi showed and independent prognostic value ( P < .001). Conclusions In a cohort of asymptomatic patients with AR, the presence of severe LV volume and diameter dilatation on the basis of the cutoff values proposed by current recommendations and normalized for BSA may be instrumental in the identification of patients at increased risk of clinical progression regardless of EF.