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Background Sex‐related differences in morbidity and survival in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) adults are fundamentally unknown. Contemporary studies portend excellent survival for BAV patients identified at early echocardiographic‐clinical stages. Whether BAV adults incur a survival disadvantage throughout subsequent echocardiographic‐clinical stages remains undetermined. Methods and Results Analysis was done of 3 different cohorts of consecutive patients with echocardiographic diagnosis of BAV identified retrospectively: (1) a community cohort of 416 patients with first BAV diagnosis (age 35±21 years, follow‐up 16±7 years), (2) a tertiary clinical referral cohort of 2824 BAV adults (age 51±16 years, follow‐up 9±6 years), and (3) a surgical referral cohort of 2242 BAV adults referred for aortic valve replacement (AVR) (age 62±14 years, follow‐up 6±5 years). For the community cohort, 20‐year risks of aortic regurgitation (AR), AVR, and infective endocarditis were higher in men (all P ≤0.04); for a total BAV‐related morbidity risk of 52±4% vs 35±6% in women ( P =0.01). The cohort's 25‐year survival was identical to that in the general population ( P =0.98). AR independently predicted mortality in women ( P =0.001). Baseline AR was more common in men ( P ≤0.02) in the tertiary cohort, with 20‐year survival lower than that in the general population ( P <0.0001); age‐adjusted relative death risk was 1.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05‐1.29) for men versus 1.67 (95% CI 1.38‐2.03) for women ( P =0.001). AR independently predicted mortality in women ( P =0.01). Baseline AR and infective endocarditis were higher in men (both ≤0.001) for the surgical referral cohort, with 15‐year survival lower than that in the general population ( P <0.0001); age‐adjusted relative death risk was 1.34 (95% CI 1.22‐1.47) for men versus 1.63 (95% CI 1.40‐1.89) for women ( P =0.026). AR and NYHA class independently predicted mortality in women (both P ≤0.04). Conclusions Within evolving echocardiographic‐clinical stages, the long‐term survival of adults with BAV is not benign, as both men and women incur excess mortality. Although BAV‐related morbidity is higher in men in the community, and AR and infective endocarditis are more prevalent in men, women exhibit a significantly higher relative risk of death in tertiary and surgical referral cohorts, which is independently associated with AR.

Clinical introduction A man in his 50s presented with abscessed aortic valve methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, received intravenous antibiotics and underwent bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement with removal of all infected tissues. He returned 18 days later with severe dyspnoea, subjective fever and bilateral lower extremity oedema. Physical examination revealed tachypnoea and tachycardia without fever, prominent neck CV waves visible at 90°, left parasternal heave, 3/6 holosystolic murmur across the precordium, lung rales and severe peripheral oedema. C reactive protein was 211 mg/L (normal <8 mg/L). Blood cultures were obtained. ECG showed sinus tachycardia and right axis deviation. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) parasternal zoomed short-axis systolic frame (figure 1A, B), apical four-chamber systolic frame (figure 1C) and subcostal continuous wave (CW) Doppler (figure 1D), are shown. Question Given the clinical presentation and TTE findings, what is the diagnosis? Severe tricuspid regurgitation due to extension of endocarditis Aortic valve obstruction resulting in severe pulmonary hypertension Acquired Gerbode defect Aortic valve dehiscence with severe paraprosthetic regurgitation

Background— Previously published evidence on ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) and its adverse prognosis after myocardial infarction has been based on the severity of IMR in the subacute or chronic period of myocardial infarction. However, the state of IMR can vary from the early stage to the chronic stage as a result of various responses of myocardium after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods and Results— Standard echocardiography was serially performed in 546 consecutive patients with first-onset acute myocardial infarction (1) immediately after their arrival (pre-PCI), (2) before discharge (early post-PCI), and (3) 6 to 8 months after PCI (late post-PCI). The course of IMR after primary PCI and the prognostic impact of the IMR in each phase were investigated. IMR was found in 193/546 (35%) patients at the emergency room. In the acute phase after PCI, IMR improved in 63 patients. IMR worsened in 78 patients despite successful PCI. Shorter onset-to-reperfusion time and nontotal occlusion before PCI were the independent predictors of early improvement of IMR. In the chronic phase, IMR improved in 79 patients and worsened in 36 patients. Lower peak creatine kinase–myocardial band was an independent predictor of late improvement of IMR. IMR before PCI worsened 30-day prognosis ( P =0.02), and persistent IMR in the chronic phase worsened long-term prognosis ( P =0.04) after primary PCI. Conclusions— Degrees of IMR changed in the early and chronic phase after primary PCI for acute myocardial infarction. IMR on arrival and persistent IMR in the chronic phase worsened short-term and long-term prognosis after acute myocardial infarction, respectively.

Background— Contemporary data are lacking on the prognostic importance of heart failure (HF) after myocardial infarction (MI). We evaluated the prognostic impact of HF post MI according to preserved/reduced ejection fraction and the timing of its occurrence. Methods and Results— All Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents (n=2596) with incident MI diagnosed in 1990 to 2010 and no prior HF were followed through March 2013. Cox models were used to examine (1) the hazard ratios for death associated with HF type and timing and (2) secular trends in survival by HF status. During a mean follow-up of 7.6 years, there were 1116 deaths, 634 in the 902 patients who developed HF (70%) and 482 in the 1694 patients who did not develop HF (28%). After adjustment for age and sex, HF as a time-dependent variable was strongly associated with mortality (hazard ratio =3.31, 95% confidence interval: 2.93–3.75), particularly from cardiovascular causes (hazard ratio =4.20, 95% confidence interval: 3.50–5.03). Further adjustment for MI severity and comorbidity, acute treatment, and recurrent MI moderately attenuated these associations (hazard ratio =2.49 and 2.94 for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively). Mortality did not differ by ejection fraction, but was higher for delayed- versus early-onset HF ( P for heterogeneity =0.002). The age- and sex-adjusted 5-year survival estimates in 2001 to 2010 versus 1990 to 2000 were 82% and 81% among HF-free and 61% and 54% among HF patients, respectively ( P for heterogeneity of trends =0.05). Conclusions— HF markedly increases the risk of death after MI. This excess risk is similar regardless of ejection fraction but greater for delayed- versus early-onset HF. Mortality after MI declined over time, primarily as a result of improved HF survival.

Background— Severe primary (degenerative) mitral regurgitation (MR) is repaired with durable results when simple single-scallop disease is addressed. The midterm quality outcomes of minimally invasive repair for complex disease are unknown, however. Methods and Results— From January 2008 to January 2015, 487 patients (56±11 years, 360 men, ejection fraction 65±6%, 98.8% complete follow-up) underwent robotic mitral valve repair for severe nonischemic degenerative MR. Simple pathology was addressed in 289 of 487 (59%) patients, and complex repair (all others) was performed in 198 of 487 (41%). Four patients died during follow-up with a 5-year survival rate 99.5% (99.4% simple; 99.5% complex; hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.05–4.59); and New York Heart Association functional class I/II was documented in 97.9% (477/487). Eight patients had recurrence of moderate-to-severe MR (4 simple, 4 complex), with a 5-year freedom from MR of 94.6% (96.2% simple; 92.7%, complex; P =0.67; hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.34–5.43). Seven patients (2 simple, 5 complex), underwent mitral reoperation, with a 5-year freedom from reoperation of 97.7% (99.1% simple; 95.7% complex; P =0.13; hazard ratio, 3.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.65–17.32). Conclusions— At a large tertiary care referral center, midterm quality outcomes after robotic correction of degenerative MR are excellent, with very high survival, infrequent complications, and a low likelihood of MR recurrence, regardless of mitral valve repair complexity. Awareness of these improvements in outcome is important to inform contemporary decisions regarding high-quality alternatives to conventional and percutaneous mitral repair.

Background— Fibro-elastic deficiency (FED) and diffuse myxomatous degeneration (DMD) are phenotypes of degenerative mitral valve disease defined morphologically. Whether physiological differences in annular and valvular dynamics exist between these phenotypes remains unknown. Methods and Results— We performed triple quantitation of cardiac remodeling and of mitral regurgitation severity and of annular and valvular dimensions by real-time 3-dimensional-transesophageal-echocardiography. Forty-nine patients with degenerative mitral valve disease classified as FED (n=31) and DMD (n=18) by surgical observation showed no difference in age (65±10 versus 59±13; P =0.5), body surface area (2.0±0.2 versus 2.0±0.2 m 2 ; P =0.5), left ventricular and atrial dimensions (all P >0.55), and mitral regurgitation regurgitant orifice ( P =0.62). On average, annular dimensions were larger in DMD versus FED, but height was similar resulting in lower saddle shape. Dynamically, annular DMD versus FED display poorer contraction and saddle-shape accentuation in early systole and abnormal enlargement, particularly intercommissural, in late-systole (all P <0.05). Valvular dynamics showed stable valvular area in systole in FED versus considerable systolic increased area in DMD ( P <0.001). Prolapse height and volume increased little throughout systole in FED versus marked increase in DMD ( P <0.001). Conclusions— Our novel observations show that FED and DMD, although both labeled myxomatous, display considerable physiological phenotypic differences. In DMD, the annular increased size and profoundly abnormal dynamics demonstrate DMD-specific annular degeneration compared with the enlarged but relatively normal FED annulus. DMD does not incur more severe mitral regurgitation, despite larger prolapse and valve redundancy, underscoring potential compensatory role of tissue redundancy of DMD (or aggravating role of tissue paucity of FED) on mitral regurgitation severity.

Objectives Cleft-like indentations (CLI) are deep separations between scallops of the mitral posterior leaflet observed in myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), but their diagnosis, mechanisms and implications are unknown. Using 3D transoesophageal echocardiography (3DTOC), we aimed at assessing diagnostic accuracy and defining mechanisms of CLI in patients undergoing surgery for MMVD. Methods 3DTOC of mitral valve was acquired in 49 patients with MMVD and severe regurgitation prior to valve repair. Qualitative review compared 3DTOC diagnosis of CLI with surgical inspection. Mitral, annular and leaflet dimensions were quantified with dedicated software and compared between those with and without CLI. Results Diagnosis of CLI was made by 3DTOC in 17 (35%) while none was identified by 2D and was confirmed in 15 (88%) by surgical inspection. Mechanistically, LV diameters and mitral regurgitant volume (RVol) were similar with and without CLI (p>0.49). Conversely, mitral annulus was smaller with CLI (anteroposterior diameter 42.2±7.1 vs 47.0±7.5 mm, p=0.04; circumference 133±16 vs 148±19 mm, p=0.009; area 1289±326 vs 1619±427 mm2, p=0.008). Prolapse volume tended to be smaller with CLI (1.9±1.2 vs 4.0±4.3 mL, p=0.06) involving single posterior scallop at surgery (82% vs 44%, p=0.007) with smaller 3DTOC leaflet area (1574±409 vs 2019±652 mm2, p=0.01). During valve repair, surgical closure of all surgically diagnosed CLI was required. Conclusions Posterior leaflet CLI are frequent in MMVD, are identified by 3DTOC with high accuracy and require closure during valve repair. CLI are mechanistically not related to excess annular enlargement or excess prolapse. Conversely, CLI occur in the context of single scallop prolapse with tissue paucity causing excess separation of scallops. These 3DTOC data enhance diagnostic and mechanistic comprehension of the diversity of MMVD phenotypical presentation.

Background Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is a progressive disease, but the impact of baseline AS haemodynamic or anatomic severity on AS progression remains unclear. Methods In 149 patients (104 mild AS, 36 moderate AS and 9 severe AS) enrolled in 2 ongoing prospective cohorts (COFRASA/GENERAC), we evaluated AS haemodynamic severity at baseline and yearly, thereafter, using echocardiography (mean pressure gradient (MPG)) and AS anatomic severity using CT (degree of aortic valve calcification (AVC)). Results After a mean follow-up of 2.9±1.0 years, mean MGP increased from 22±11 to 30±16 mm Hg (+3±3 mm Hg/year), and mean AVC from 1108±891 to 1640±1251 AU (arbitrary units) (+188±176 AU/year). Progression of AS was strongly related to baseline haemodynamic severity (+2±3 mm Hg/year in mild AS, +4±3 mm Hg/year in moderate AS and +5±5 mm Hg/year in severe AS (p=0.01)), and baseline haemodynamic severity was an independent predictor of haemodynamic progression (p=0.0003). Annualised haemodynamic and anatomic progression rates were significantly correlated (r=0.55, p<0.0001), but AVC progression rate was also significantly associated with baseline haemodynamic severity (+141±133 AU/year in mild AS, +279±189 AU/year in moderate AS and +361±293 AU/year in severe AS, p<0.0001), and both baseline MPG and baseline AVC were independent determinants of AVC progression (p<0.0001). Conclusions AS progressed faster with increasing haemodynamic or anatomic severity. Our results suggest that a medical strategy aimed at preventing AVC progression may be useful in all subsets of patients with AS including those with severe AS and support the recommended closer follow-up of patients with AS as AS severity increases. Clinical trial registration COFRASA (clinicalTrial.gov number NCT 00338676) and GENERAC (clinicalTrial.gov number NCT00647088 ).