Prognostic Value of Aortic Valve Area by Doppler Echocardiography in Patients With Severe Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis

International audienceBackground-The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between aortic valve area (AVA) obtained by Doppler echocardiography and outcome in patients with severe asymptomatic aortic stenosis and to define a specific threshold of AVA for identifying asymptomatic patients at very high risk based on their clinical outcome. Methods and Results-We included 199 patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AVA 0.6 cm(2) (hazard ratio 3.39; 95% CI 1.80-6.40; P<0.0001). Conclusions-Patients with severe asymptomatic aortic stenosis and AVA <= 0.6 cm(2) displayed an important increase in the risk of adverse events during short-term follow-up. Further studies are needed to determine whether elective aortic valve replacement improves outcome in this high-risk subgroup of patients