title: Aortic valve calcification as quantified with multislice computed tomography predicts short-term clinical outcome in patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aortic valve calcification may be an independent risk factor for adverse clinical outcome. The study aim was to assess the predictive value of possible risk factors, including the severity of aortic valve calcification as quantified with 16-multislice computed tomography (MSCT) for adverse short-term clinical outcome in patients with asymptomatic, degenerative aortic stenosis (AS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Possible risk factors for adverse short-term clinical outcome were prospectively tested in 34 consecutive patients with asymptomatic AS as follows: (i) aortic valve calcium (AVC) score as quantified with MSCT; (ii) echocardiographic parameters--aortic valve area (AVA) calculated with continuity equation, mean and maximal transvalvular pressure gradients, end-diastolic septal wall diameter; and (iii) laboratory tests (brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-reactive protein (CRP)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Within 18-24 months of follow up, 11 of 34 patients developed a major adverse clinical outcome. Ten patients suffered from onset of symptoms accompanied by hemodynamic progression, and one patient died from sudden cardiac death. Six of these 10 patients underwent aortic valve replacement, one patient declined surgery, and three patients were not accepted for surgery (one of these died suddenly shortly afterwards). The aortic valve calcium score was the strongest predictor of a major adverse clinical event (p < 0.001) among all parameters assessed (1,928 +/- 789 versus 5,111 +/- 2,409 Agatston units). The plasma level of BNP (p = 0.003), mean transvalvular pressure gradient (p = 0.002) and AVA (p = 0.003) were also risk factors for adverse clinical outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AVC score as quantified with MSCT predicted adverse short-term clinical outcome in patients with asymptomatic AS. In patients with severe aortic valve calcification, close follow up examinations are mandatory, and early elective surgery may be considered even in the absence of symptoms. MSCT provides a comprehensive non-invasive imaging approach for risk stratification in patients with asymptomatic AS.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Radiology II, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstr. 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Gudrun.Feuchtner@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Gudrun M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Feuchtner
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grander
authors.forename: Hannes F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Alber
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bartel
authors.forename: Guy J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reinthaler
authors.forename: Otmar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pachinger
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: zur Nedden
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dichtl
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome