Prevalence Of Bicuspid Aortic Valve Research Articles

The prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve in newborns by echocardiographic screening

This study was carried out to determine the true prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) in newborns, which has not yet been determined. One thousand seventy five live born neonates (567 male neonates, 508 female neonates; gestational ages ranging from 27 to 42 weeks, and birth weights ranging from 720 to 4,780 g) were screened by transthoracic 2-dimensional echocardiography to assess the prevalence of BAV. BAV was identified in a prevalence of 4.6 in 1,000 live births. The prevalence of BAV by sex was 7.1 of 1,000 in male neonates, and 1.9 of 1,000 in female neonates. All newborns with BAV were asymptomatic. Mild aortic regurgitation was found in only 1 neonate with BAV. Because BAV may result in aortic valvular stenosis and/or regurgitation, a recommendation of regular follow-ups and antibiotic prophylaxis for infective endocarditis should be necessary.

Aortic valve morphology definition with transthoracic combined with transesophageal echocardiography in a population with high prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve

To assess the utility of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with second harmonic combined with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in defining aortic valve morphology in a subset of patients with a high prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve. Patients (n = 174) with dilated aortic root were consecutively evaluated using, initially, TTE. The aortic valve structure was assigned as tricuspid, bicuspid or undefined. In those assigned as bicuspid or undefined, TEE was performed. Other factors that could affect valve morphology assignment were recorded and evaluated in multivariate analysis. TTE was able to characterise 89% of the tricuspid valves and 56% of the bicuspid. Bicuspid structure was the only variable that, in the multivariate analysis, was related to the inability to definitively assign aortic valve morphology (OR = 0.13). TEE was performed in 59 patients and the morphology was definitively assigned in 56 of them (95%). TEE diagnosed 15 bicuspid valves in addition to confirming the 17 identified by TTE. Overall, using TTE combined with TEE we were able to correctly assign valvular morphology in 98% of patients. In a subset of patients with a high prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve, combination of TTE and TEE should be considered to define aortic valve morphology. TEE identifies an important number of patients with BAV.

An echocardiographic survey of primary school children for bicuspid aortic valve

Primary school students (817 apparently healthy 10-year olds) were screened by transthoracic 2-dimensional echocardiography to assess for the prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve. Bicuspid aortic valve was found in 0.5% of cases, with a higher prevalence in males than females (0.75% vs 0.24%), and was significantly associated with aortic root enlargement compared with children who had tricuspid aortic valves.

Prevalence of and predictors of bicuspid aortic valves in patients with dilated aortic roots

In the present study, the prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) was assessed using echocardiography in patients presenting with dilated aortic root (DAR), and the associated variables were analyzed so as to construct a predictive model. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was used in combination with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) when the transthoracic echocardiographic image alone was equivocal and a more definite diagnosis was needed.

Prevalence of Bicuspid Aortic Valve and Mitral Valve Prolapse in a Healthy Saudi Population and the Clinical Implications of their Association

In this study, 103 Saudi males and 172 Saudi females were referred for medical check-up for employment purposes and/or as undergraduate students. Clinical evaluation of all participants included full cardiovascular examination, with the following investigations being performed: ECG, chest x-ray, and cross-sectional echocardiography. Bicuspid aortic valve was detected in three males and in four females, for a total percentage of 2.5%. Isolated mitral valve prolapse was detected in seven males (6.7%) and six females (3.5%). Association with mitral valve prolapse was reported in five males and seven females, with a total percentage of 4.3%. This association seems to have important etiological, medical and surgical implications.

Cardiovascular evaluation in Turner syndrome: utility of MR imaging.

Forty patients with karyotypically proven Turner syndrome were prospectively studied using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography in order to determine the frequency of cardiovascular anomalies and to assess the utility of both imaging modalities as methods for cardiovascular evaluation in Turner syndrome. Cardiovascular anomalies were found in 45% of patients. A high absolute prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve (17.5%) and aortic coarctation (12.5%) were observed relative to comparable series. Of clinically significant abnormalities, three of five aortic coarctations and four of five ascending aortic dilatations were solely MRI detected and not evident at echocardiographic examination. MRI is thus seen as a valuable adjunct to echocardiography in the cardiovascular evaluation of Turner syndrome patients. The usefulness of MRI primarily relates to its ability to provide excellent visualisation of the entire thoracic aorta where a large proportion of clinically significant anomalies occur in Turner syndrome.