title: Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis in the Elderly.
abstract: This study sought to assess the natural history and optimal timing of surgery in elderly patients with severe asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS).
  
  
  
  AS is increasingly diagnosed in an aging population, and large numbers of elderly patients are undergoing aortic valve procedures. However, the average age of patients represented in most natural history studies on AS is between 60 and 70 years.
  
  
  
  A total of 103 consecutive patients >70 years of age (51 female; mean age 77 ± 5 years) with asymptomatic severe AS (peak aortic jet velocity [AV-Vel] 4.7 ± 0.6 m/s) were prospectively followed.
  
  
  
  During follow-up, 91 events occurred, including an indication for aortic valve replacement in 82 patients and cardiac deaths in 9, respectively. Event-free survival was 73%, 43%, 23%, and 16% at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively. Physical mobility was impaired in 29% of the patients, and symptom onset was severe (New York Heart Association functional class ≥III) in 43% of those who developed symptoms. Patients with AV-Vel ≥5.0 m/s had event-free survival rates of 21% and 6% at 2 and 4 years, respectively, compared with 57% and 23% for patients with AV-Vel <5.0 m/s (p < 0.001). Seventy-one patients underwent aortic valve replacement, and post-operative survival was 89% and 77% after 1 and 3 years, respectively.
  
  
  
  In elderly patients with severe but asymptomatic AS, mild symptoms may be difficult to detect, particularly when mobility is impaired and severe symptom onset is common, warranting close clinical follow-up. Furthermore, a very high event rate can be expected, and cardiac deaths are not infrequent. Thus, elective aortic valve procedures may be considered in selected elderly patients at low procedural risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zilberszac
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Section of Clinical Biometrics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schemper
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laufer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: rrosenhek@me.com.
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosenhek
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: aortic stenosis; aortic valve replacement; valvular heart disease