Chronic severe aortic regurgitation: A prospective follow-up of 60 asymptomatic patients

Abstract Sixty asymptomatic patients (age 26 ± 10 years) with chronic severe aortic regurgitation were followed prospectively for 2.4 ± 1.4 years. Based on previous echocardiographic end-systolic dimension (ESD) and angiographic ejection fraction (EF) correlations, the cohort was divided into group A (21 patients) with ESD ≥ 48 mm and group B (39 patients) with ESD 48 mm, reached designated end points. One died of cerebral embolism and 12 (age 31.4 ± 10.6 years) required aortic valve replacement (AVR). Of these, 9 of 12 were symptomatic and 11 of 12 had significant left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). The preoperative ESD of 51.9 ± 4.1 mm fell to 38.4 ± 3.6 mm ( p p 48 mm was associated with significant progression; and (3) patients with EF above 40% showed no residual LVD after AVR.