title: Thoracic aortic atherosclerosis in patients with aortic regurgitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hemodynamic forces are potential determinants of aortic atherosclerosis. Aortic regurgitation (AR) alters the flow pattern in the aorta. However, the association between AR and aortic atherosclerosis is not well known.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the presence, extent and distribution of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta of 42 patients with chronic AR and compared them to 40 patients with similar risk factor profile for atherosclerosis and no valvular disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the extent of atheroma in the ascending aorta and aortic arch between patients with and without AR. Descending aortic atheroma was evident in 25 patients with AR (60%) and 12 patients without AR (30%, p=0.01). AR was found to be the only predicting factor for the presence of aortic atherosclerosis in the descending aorta (odds ratio 4.1; 95% CI 1.2-14.3, p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an increased prevalence of descending aortic atherosclerosis in patients with significant AR.
authors.affiliation: The Heart Institute, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel. Sara s@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimoni
authors.forename: Liaz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zilberman
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Edri
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bar
authors.forename: Sorel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goland
authors.forename: Gera
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gendelman
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swissa
authors.forename: Shay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Livshitz
authors.forename: Ofir
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ayzenberg
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013895:Thoracic Arteries / Q000473:pathology*