MID-TERM ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC OUTCOMES OF AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT USING AUTOLOGOUS PERICARDIUM

Highlights : The mid-term echocardiographic outcomes of aortic valve replacement with autologous pericardium presented in the literature are limited to the basic parameters related to transvalvular hemodynamics; This study is the first in the world to conduct a comprehensive detailed analysis of echocardiographic parameters after neocuspidization using autologous pericardium, both in comparison with standard replacement and between different age populations; Aortic valve neocuspidization using autologous pericardium adult patients of any age group in comparison with mechanical replacement in the mid-term period is characterized by a higher effective orifice area, significant dynamics of left ventricular myocardial mass regression, low potential for the preservation of significant mitral regurgitation. Abstract Aim. To analyze echocardiographic parameters after aortic valve replacement using autologous pericardium in various age groups of the adult population. Methods. The multicenter prospective non-randomized cross-controlled study included 71 patients evaluated after surgical correction of aortic valve (AV) stenosis in the mid-term. The population (n = 71) is divided into the following populations: 1 – AVNeo Y (n = 24) – patients aged 19 to 50 years who underwent neocuspidization using autologous pericardium; 2 – AVNeo A (n = 23) – patients aged 51 to 79 years who underwent neocuspidization using autologous pericardium; Group 3 – AVR (n = 24) are patients aged 26 to 50 years who have undergone mechanical replacement. The end points were as follows: index of effective orifice area (EOA), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), peak gradient on AV, peak velocity on AV, pulmonary hypertension (PH), frequency of significant mitral regurgitation (MR), end-diastolic LV volume, LV ejection fraction. Results. In the group 3 (AVR), the lowest EOA index was noted in comparison with the group 1 (AVNeo Y) (p < 0.01) and the group 2 (AVNeo A) (p = 0.02). Significant dynamics of LVMI decrease was observed in groups 1 (AVNeo Y) (p < 0.01) and 2 (AVNeo A) (p < 0.01). In the group 3 (AVR), there was also a decrease in the LVMI in the mid-term, but it went beyond the limits of reliability (p = 0.07). The peak gradient between the groups in the mid-term period was 8.5±2.7 mmHg in the group 1 (AVNeo Y), 8.5±2.6 mmHg in the group 2 (AVNeo A) and 15.6±4.1 mmHg in the group 3 (AVR) (p < 0.01). With respect to significant MR, there was a significant increase in its frequency in the group 3 (AVR) in comparison with other groups (p < 0.01). Moreover, in the group 3 (AVR), a more frequent occurrence of PH was noted in comparison with the group 1 (AVNeo Y) (p < 0.01). Conclusions. AV mechanical replacement in young patients in comparison with neocuspidization using autologous pericardium in adult patients of any age in the mid-term period is characterized by a lower EOA index, the absence of significant dynamics of LVMI regression, a higher peak transvalvular gradient, and a high potential to preserve significant MR and PH.