Abstract
In patients with aortic stenosis a small aortic root has impact on the severity assessment as well as treatment strategy. The prognostic implications of a small aortic root were analyzed in a large prospective study of initially asymptomatic mild to moderate AS included in the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in AS study (SEAS). A small aortic root was defined as aortic sinotubular junction diameter indexed for body size of < 1,4 cm/m in women and < 1,5 cm/m in men. A small aortic root was present in 270 patients (17,3 %) at baseline. A small aortic root was associated with larger aortic root wall thickness, higher pressure recovery, lower systemic arterial compliance and left ventricular mass index and with female sex. In patients with aortic stenosis and no evidence for cardiovascular diseases or diabetes the presence of a small aortic root was associated with higher cardiovascular events and mortality. The results suggest an association between the presence of a small aortic root and subclinical atherosclerosis.
