title: Aortic regurgitation in rheumatoid arthritis necessitating aortic valve replacement.
abstract: Four cases of patients with aortic incompetence secondary to rheumatoid arthritis are presented. All survived aortic surgery (two having bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement and two a homograft aortic root replacement). A review of the pathophysiology and pathology of this rare cause of aortic regurgitation is presented. A rationale for the choice of aortic valve prosthesis is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Dimitri
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bonser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged