title: Early surgical intervention versus watchful waiting and outcomes for asymptomatic severe aortic regurgitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The management of asymptomatic patients with severe aortic regurgitation remains controversial. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to assess the long-term outcomes and incidence of cardiac complications among asymptomatic patients with severe aortic regurgitation who underwent operation early, in the absence of any class I or class IIa guideline triggers, or were managed conservatively and eventually underwent operation whenever these triggers appeared.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 160 consecutive asymptomatic patients (50 ± 17 years) with severe aortic regurgitation were prospectively followed up for a median of 7.2 years. Overall and cardiovascular survivals and the need for repeat aortic regurgitation surgery were evaluated in an "early surgery" group (n = 91) and a "conservatively managed" group (n = 69).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten-year overall (91% ± 4% vs 89% ± 5%, P = .87) and cardiovascular (96% ± 2% vs 96% ± 3%, P = .79) survivals were similar among the early surgery and conservatively managed groups. Conservatively managed patients were further sub-stratified according to the regularity and quality of their follow-up. Patients who were regularly followed up by a certified cardiologist had a better 10-year overall survival than patients undergoing no or a looser follow-up (95% ± 5% vs 79% ± 10%, P = .045). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis identified age (P = .003) and male gender (P = .024) as independent predictors of survival. Early surgical management was not a predictor of outcome (P = .45).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that the outcome of asymptomatic patients with severe aortic regurgitation is not different between an early surgical and a more conservative strategy, provided that the conservatively managed patients are regularly followed up and timely referred to surgery as soon as operative triggers develop. This suggests that surgery should not be recommended in patients with aortic regurgitation who do not meet current guidelines for intervention.
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: de Meester
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Bernhard L
authors: BL
authors: Gerber
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Vancraeynest
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Anne-Catherine
authors: AC
authors: Pouleur
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Noirhomme
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Agnès
authors: A
authors: Pasquet
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Gébrine
authors: G
authors: El Khoury
authors: Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: jean-louis.vanoverschelde@uclouvain.be.
authors: Jean-Louis
authors: JL
authors: Vanoverschelde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D061345:Early Medical Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018579:Patient Selection; D057216:Propensity Score; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D057832:Watchful Waiting
keywords: aortic regurgitation; aortic valve repair; early surgery