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Calcium Scoring to Classify Aortic Valve Stenosis Severity: What Is the Current Data?

  • Valvular Heart Disease (TL Kiefer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review explores current clinical value of aortic valve calcification (AVC) in classifying aortic valve stenosis (AS) severity, refining patient’s follow-up, as well as novel and potential applications of this highly accurate marker in improving outcomes for AS patients. AVC limitations and important particularities regarding sex, valve phenotype, and ethnicity will also be addressed.

Recent Findings

Sex-specific AVC cut-offs have been included in current guidelines to identify severe AS when echocardiography is inconclusive. AVC is also associated with AS progression and could help refine the timing for patient’s follow-up.

Summary

In patients with AS, Doppler echocardiography is the gold standard for the assessment of AS severity. However, in more than one-third of patients, echocardiographic parameters are discordant, casting shadow on the true severity of the disease. Considering active leaflet calcification is the driving mechanism of AS, quantification of AVC has been shown to be of great interest for distinguishing true-severe from pseudo-severe AS. Moreover, AVC is closely associated with AS progression and outcomes.

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Data Availability

No data have been used for this review manuscript. 

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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  1. Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et Pneumologie de Québec (Quebec Heart & Lung Institute), Université Laval, Québec, Canada

    Andréanne Powers & Marie-Annick Clavel

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Correspondence to Marie-Annick Clavel.

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Andréanne Powers has nothing to disclose. Marie-Annick Clavel reports grants from Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic.

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Powers, A., Clavel, MA. Calcium Scoring to Classify Aortic Valve Stenosis Severity: What Is the Current Data?. Curr Cardiol Rep 25, 1095–1101 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-023-01929-z

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