Regression of left ventricular dilatation and hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement

• Published in: International journal of cardiology Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 217 - 225
• Main Authors: Waszyrowski, Tomasz, Kasprzak, Jarosław D., Krzemińska-Pakuła, Maria, Droż, Jarosław, Dziatkowiak, Antoni, Zasłonka, Janusz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 13.12.1996; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aortic insufficiency; Aortic stenosis; Aortic Valve - surgery; Aortic valve replacement; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Echocardiography, Doppler; Endocardial and cardiac valvular diseases; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart; Heart Failure - diagnostic imaging; Heart Failure - etiology; Heart Failure - physiopathology; Heart Valve Diseases - complications; Heart Valve Diseases - physiopathology; Heart Valve Diseases - surgery; Heart Valve Prosthesis - mortality; Humans; Hypertrophy; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - complications; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - diagnostic imaging; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications - mortality; Prospective Studies; Stroke Volume; Treatment Outcome; Ventricular dilatation; Ventricular Pressure; Ventricular dilatation; Aortic stenosis; Aortic valve replacement; Aortic insufficiency; Hypertrophy; Sonography; Human; Echocardiography; Cardiovascular disease; Exploration; Narrowing; Replacement; Aortic regurgitation; Left ventricle; Treatment; Cardiac valvular disease; Dilatation; Follow up study; Heart disease; Surgery; Hemodynamics; Aortic valve
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-5273(96)02803-3

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of aortic valve replacement on left ventricular size and muscle hypertrophy according to the type of preexisting valve disease (aortic stenosis, insufficiency or combined disease). The study group consisted of 143 consecutive patients (pts) after aortic valve replacement (109 men, 34 women, mean age 48.1 ± 10.9 years). Reason for the operation was aortic stenosis in 35 pts, aortic insufficiency in 64 pts and combined disease in 44 pts. Echocardiography was performed before surgery, 1 month and 1 year after operation, and yearly during 5-year follow-up. Transvalvular aortic pressure gradients decreased significantly after valve replacement in all subsets without further changes during follow-up (P max (mmHg): from 54.2 ± 20.7 to 17.9 ± 9.6 in combined disease pts, from 72.3 ± 19.9 to 21.6 ± 14.6 in aortic stenosis and from 34.5 ± 24.2 to 15.6 ± 11.3 in aortic insufficiency pts, respectively, P < 0.0005). One year after surgery the diastolic dimension of the left ventricle decreased significantly in all subjects, whereas the systolic dimension only in aortic insufficiency and combined disease pts (from 44 ± 11.8 to 31.6 ± 5.4 mm, P < 0.001 and from 41.9 ± 11.5 to 33 ± 6.7 mm, P < 0.05, respectively). Further decrease of both diastolic and systolic dimensions was observed only in the aortic insufficiency group. Ejection fraction of left ventricle increased only in combined disease pts (from 51.6 ± 10% to 56.8 ± 8.2%, P < 0.05). Wall thickness of the left ventricle decreased 1 year after valve replacement only in the aortic stenosis group and in further follow-up in the aortic stenosis and combined disease group. Normalization of left ventricular size is observed in more than 90% of patients during 5-year follow-up as opposed to left ventricular muscle hypertrophy, regressed only in less than a half of the study population. In patients with aortic valve disease the greatest hemodynamic improvement is observed 1 year after valve replacement. This is expressed by marked reduction of the left ventricular dimensions and wall thickness, without significant improvement of the ejection fraction. Further regression of left ventricle dimensions occurs in patients operated on due to predominant valve insufficiency, whereas regression of left ventricular hypertrophy is observed in patients with preexisting valvular stenosis.