Does diabetes accelerate progression of calcific aortic stenosis?
OBJECTIVE
Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAS) is an active disease like atherosclerosis. Effect of diabetes (D) on severity of CAS is not well documented.


RESULTS
We retrospectively analysed 166 consecutive patients with CAS and multiple echocardiograms from January 1997 to March 2005. Aortic valve area (AVA) was measured using the continuity equation. CAS severity was categorized using AVA. D and non-D patients were compared for differences in sex, hypertension, smoking, statin use using chi(2) tests. Comparisons between D and non-D for changes in AVA per year were performed using ANOVA. Study cohort included 166 males with age 70 +/- 9 years, of which 72 (43%) had D. Baseline CAS was mild in 66 subjects, moderate in 75, and severe in 25. D subjects smoked less (P = 0.02), but all other variables were similar (P > 0.05). The interaction between D and baseline CAS severity was significant (P = 0.0191), indicating comparisons should be viewed by baseline CAS severity. D had significantly larger change in AVA than non-D (P = 0.0016) for those with moderate CAS at baseline only. Adjusting for statin use did not alter the results.


CONCLUSIONS
CAS severity progresses faster in D than in non-D in subjects with moderate CAS at baseline. Statins do not affect progression of CAS.
Kamalesh
Masoor
M
Krannert Institute of Cardiology and Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. masoor.kamalesh@med.va.gov
Ng
Charlotte
C
El Masry
Hicham
H
Eckert
George
G
Sawada
Stephen
S
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors