Ascending aorta diameter and the STJ/AA ratio were independently associated with aortic regurgitation severity in a cohort of 445 patients.
Cross-Sectional (n=445)
No
Are aortic root dimensions associated with the severity of aortic regurgitation?
Aortic root dimensions, specifically ascending aorta diameter and the STJ/AA ratio, are independently associated with the severity of aortic regurgitation.
ABSTRACT Background and Aims Aortic regurgitation (AR) is associated with characteristic changes in aortic root geometry. Data on detailed echocardiographic patterns of AR in Iranian cohorts remain limited. This study aimed to describe the echocardiographic and etiologic characteristics of patients with AR and to assess the associations between standard aortic root measurements—including the aortic annulus (AA), sinuses of Valsalva (SOV), sinotubular junction (STJ), and ascending aorta (ASC)—and AR severity. Methods This retrospective cross‐sectional study reviewed transthoracic echocardiography reports of patients diagnosed with AR ( n = 445) between 2017 and 2023 at a tertiary center. All examinations were performed and interpreted by a single experienced cardiologist. Aortic root dimensions and left ventricular measurements were extracted. Associations with AR severity were examined using appropriate parametric or nonparametric tests based on distributional assessment. Ordinal regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent association of aortic root dimensions and indexed parameters with AR severity. Results Greater AA, SOV, STJ, and ASC diameters were associated with higher AR severity in unadjusted analyzes, with SOV demonstrating the strongest relationship. All variables, including ASC, STJ, SOV, AA, and STJ/BSA, were correlated with the severity of aortic regurgitation. In multivariable ordinal regression analysis, ascending aorta diameter and the STJ/AA ratio were independently associated with AR severity, whereas STJ diameter and the STJ/BSA ratio were not significant after adjustment. STJ diameter showed no correlation with age. Degenerative and rheumatic etiologies were the most common causes of AR. Conclusion Aortic root dimensions were associated with AR severity, underscoring the role of aortic root geometry in disease expression. The STJ/AA ratio emerged as an independently associated geometric parameter in adjusted analyzes, while STJ/BSA did not retain significance. As this was a retrospective cross‐sectional analysis, findings reflect associations rather than causal relationships and require confirmation in prospective, standardized studies.
Haghighi et al. (Mon,) conducted a cross-sectional in Aortic regurgitation (n=445). Aortic root dimensions was evaluated on Aortic regurgitation severity. Ascending aorta diameter and the STJ/AA ratio were independently associated with aortic regurgitation severity in a cohort of 445 patients.