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Velders BJJ, Groenwold RHH, Ajmone Marsan N, Kappetein AP, Wijngaarden RAFDLV, Braun J, Klautz RJM, Vriesendorp MD. Improving accuracy in diagnosing aortic stenosis severity: An in-depth analysis of echocardiographic measurement error through literature review and simulation study. Echocardiography 2023; 40:892-902. [PMID: 37519290 DOI: 10.1111/echo.15664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The present guidelines advise replacing the aortic valve for individuals with severe aortic stenosis (AS) based on various echocardiographic parameters. Accurate measurements are essential to avoid misclassification and unnecessary interventions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of measurement error on the echocardiographic evaluation of the severity of AS. METHODS AND RESULTS A systematic review was performed to examine whether measurement errors are reported in studies focusing on the prognostic value of peak aortic jet velocity (Vmax ), mean pressure gradient (MPG), and effective orifice area (EOA) in asymptomatic patients with AS. Out of the 37 studies reviewed, 17 (46%) acknowledged the existence of measurement errors, but none of them utilized methods to address them. Secondly, the magnitude of potential errors was collected from available literature for use in clinical simulations. Interobserver variability ranged between 0.9% and 8.3% for Vmax and MPG but was higher for EOA (range 7.7%-12.7%), indicating lower reliability. Assuming a circular left ventricular outflow tract area led to a median underestimation of EOA by 23% compared to planimetry by other modalities. A clinical simulation resulted in the reclassification of 42% of patients, shifting them from a diagnosis of severe AS to moderate AS. CONCLUSIONS Measurement errors are underreported in studies on echocardiographic assessment of AS severity. These errors can lead to misclassification and misdiagnosis. Clinicians and scientists should be aware of the implications for accurate clinical decision-making and assuring research validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart J J Velders
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rolf H H Groenwold
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Ajmone Marsan
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arie-Pieter Kappetein
- Global Clinical Operations, Coronary and Structural Heart, Medtronic, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jerry Braun
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert J M Klautz
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel D Vriesendorp
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Shan Y, Li J, Wu B, Barker AJ, Markl M, Lin J, Shu X, Wang Y. Aortic Viscous Energy Loss for Assessment of Valve-related
Hemodynamics in Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis. Radiol Cardiothorac Imaging 2022; 4:e220010. [PMCID: PMC9434981 DOI: 10.1148/ryct.220010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Purpose To investigate whether functional assessment of aberrant flow patterns by viscous energy loss (E′L ) using four-dimensional (4D) flow MRI could determine aortic stenosis (AS) severity in accordance with transvalvular energy loss and aid in surgical decision-making in asymptomatic patients with severe AS. Materials and Methods In this prospective, single-center study, E′L was measured in the thoracic aorta of 74 consecutive asymptomatic patients with severe AS and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction who presented between January 2015 and December 2017, and 23 healthy volunteers using 4D flow MRI. Transvalvular energy loss was assessed based on the energy loss index (ELI) measured using Doppler echocardiography. The association between E′L and AS-related events including aortic valve replacement was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and multivariable Cox regression analysis. Results Among 74 asymptomatic patients with severe AS (mean age, 60 years ± 9 [SD]; 43 men; 56 with bicuspid aortic valve), 33 experienced AS-related events during a median follow-up of 42 months (IQR, 30–53 months). Altered flow patterns in severe AS resulted in a sevenfold increase in peak systolic E′L in the ascending aorta compared with controls (13.9 mW ± 3.4 vs 1.80 mW ± 0.44; P < .001). Peak systolic E′L in the ascending aorta was independently associated with the ELI (standardized β, −0.52; P < .001) and showed better discrimination for AS-related events (area under the curve, 0.83; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.93; P < .001) than conventional echocardiographic parameters. After adjustment for confounding variables, peak systolic E′L in the ascending aorta was associated with a significant increase in AS-related events (P < .001 for adjusted hazard ratio). Conclusion Changes in AS-mediated poststenotic three-dimensional outflow patterns can be quantified by 4D flow MRI-derived energetic markers to aid in the risk stratification and clinical management of asymptomatic patients with severe AS. Keywords: Aortic Stenosis, 4D Flow MRI, Flow Energetics, Vascular, Aorta, Aortic Valve, MR Angiography Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2022
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Boting Wu
- From the Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging (Y.S., J. Lin, X.S.,
Y.W.), Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (J. Li, X.S., Y.W.),
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (J. Li), and Department of Transfusion
(B.W.), Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032,
China; Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University
of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo (A.J.B.); and
Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University,
Chicago, Ill (M.M.)
| | - Alex J. Barker
- From the Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging (Y.S., J. Lin, X.S.,
Y.W.), Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (J. Li, X.S., Y.W.),
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (J. Li), and Department of Transfusion
(B.W.), Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032,
China; Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University
of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo (A.J.B.); and
Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University,
Chicago, Ill (M.M.)
| | - Michael Markl
- From the Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging (Y.S., J. Lin, X.S.,
Y.W.), Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (J. Li, X.S., Y.W.),
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (J. Li), and Department of Transfusion
(B.W.), Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032,
China; Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University
of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo (A.J.B.); and
Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University,
Chicago, Ill (M.M.)
| | - Jiang Lin
- From the Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging (Y.S., J. Lin, X.S.,
Y.W.), Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (J. Li, X.S., Y.W.),
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (J. Li), and Department of Transfusion
(B.W.), Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032,
China; Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University
of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo (A.J.B.); and
Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University,
Chicago, Ill (M.M.)
| | - Xianhong Shu
- From the Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging (Y.S., J. Lin, X.S.,
Y.W.), Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (J. Li, X.S., Y.W.),
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (J. Li), and Department of Transfusion
(B.W.), Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032,
China; Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University
of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo (A.J.B.); and
Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University,
Chicago, Ill (M.M.)
| | - Yongshi Wang
- From the Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging (Y.S., J. Lin, X.S.,
Y.W.), Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (J. Li, X.S., Y.W.),
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (J. Li), and Department of Transfusion
(B.W.), Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032,
China; Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University
of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo (A.J.B.); and
Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University,
Chicago, Ill (M.M.)
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Badiani S, Bhattacharyya S, Aziminia N, Treibel TA, Lloyd G. Moderate Aortic Stenosis: What is it and When Should We Intervene? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 16:e09. [PMID: 34188693 PMCID: PMC8201468 DOI: 10.15420/icr.2021.04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Current guidelines recommend aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis in the presence of symptoms or a left ventricular ejection fraction <50%. However, patients with less than severe aortic stenosis may also experience symptoms and recent literature suggests that the prognosis is not as benign as previously reported. There are no recommendations for patients with moderate aortic stenosis and left ventricular dysfunction, despite the high associated morbidity and mortality. There is also some evidence that these patients may benefit from early aortic valve intervention. It is recognised that aortic stenosis not only affects the valve but also has a complex myocardial response. This review discusses the natural history of moderate aortic stenosis along with the role of multimodality imaging in risk stratification in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sveeta Badiani
- Heart Valve Clinic and Echocardiography Laboratory, Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital London, UK.,William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London UK
| | - Sanjeev Bhattacharyya
- Heart Valve Clinic and Echocardiography Laboratory, Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital London, UK.,William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London UK.,Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University College London London, UK
| | - Nikoo Aziminia
- Heart Valve Clinic and Echocardiography Laboratory, Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital London, UK
| | - Thomas A Treibel
- Heart Valve Clinic and Echocardiography Laboratory, Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital London, UK.,Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University College London London, UK
| | - Guy Lloyd
- Heart Valve Clinic and Echocardiography Laboratory, Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital London, UK.,William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London UK.,Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University College London London, UK
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Radico F, Procopio A, Zimarino M. Letter by Radico et al Regarding Article, "Effect of the 2017 European Guidelines on Reclassification of Severe Aortic Stenosis and Its Influence on Management Decisions for Initially Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis". Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2021; 14:e012383. [PMID: 33832350 DOI: 10.1161/circimaging.121.012383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Radico
- Institute of Cardiology, "G. d'Annunzio" University Chieti-Pescara, Italy (F.R., A.P., M.Z.)
| | - Antonio Procopio
- Institute of Cardiology, "G. d'Annunzio" University Chieti-Pescara, Italy (F.R., A.P., M.Z.)
| | - Marco Zimarino
- Institute of Cardiology, "G. d'Annunzio" University Chieti-Pescara, Italy (F.R., A.P., M.Z.).,Interventional Cath Lab, ASL 2 Abruzzo, Chieti, Italy (M.Z.)
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