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Background Data are scarce on the role of aortic valve area (AVA) to identify those patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) who are at high risk of adverse events. We sought to explore the prognostic impact of AVA in asymptomatic patients with severe AS in a large observational database. Methods and Results Among 3815 consecutive patients with severe AS enrolled in the CURRENT AS (Contemporary Outcomes After Surgery and Medical Treatment in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis) registry, the present study included 1309 conservatively managed asymptomatic patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%. The study patients were subdivided into 3 groups based on AVA (group 1: AVA >0.80 cm2, N=645; group 2: 0.8 cm2 ≥AVA >0.6 cm2, N=465; and group 3: AVA ≤0.6 cm2, N=199). The prevalence of very severe AS patients (peak aortic jet velocity ≥5 m/s or mean aortic pressure gradient ≥60 mm Hg) was 2.0%, 5.8%, and 26.1% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The cumulative 5‐year incidence of AVR was not different across the 3 groups (39.7%, 43.7%, and 39.9%; P=0.43). The cumulative 5‐year incidence of the primary outcome measure (a composite of aortic valve–related death or heart failure hospitalization) was incrementally higher with decreasing AVA (24.1%, 29.1%, and 48.1%; P, See Editorial by Tribouilloy et al

Background There are limited data regarding the risk stratification based on peak aortic jet velocity (Vmax) in patients with severe aortic stenosis ( AS ). Methods and Results Among 3815 consecutive patients with severe AS enrolled in the CURRENT AS (Contemporary Outcomes After Surgery and Medical Treatment in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis) registry, the study population consisted of 1075 conservatively managed patients with Vmax ≥4.0 m/s and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%. The study patients were subdivided into 3 groups based on Vmax (group 1, 4.0 ≤ Vmax AS ‐related events (aortic valve–related death or heart failure hospitalization) was incrementally higher with increasing Vmax (entire population; 38.0%, 49.4%, and 62.8%, P P =0.008; and asymptomatic patients; 29.4%, 38.9%, and 47.7%, P =0.005). After adjusting for confounders, the excess risk of group 2 and group 3 relative to group 1 for AS ‐related events remained significant (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% CI , 1.07–1.81; P =0.02, and hazard ratio, 1.53; 95% CI , 1.17–2.00; P =0.002, respectively). The effect size of group 3 relative to group 1 for AS ‐related events in asymptomatic patients (N=479) was similar to that in symptomatic patients (N=596; hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% CI , 1.01–2.52; P =0.047, and hazard ratio, 1.67; 95% CI , 1.16–2.40, P =0.008, respectively), and there was no significant overall interaction between the symptomatic status and the effect of the Vmax categories on AS ‐related events (interaction, P =0.88). Conclusions In conservatively managed severe AS patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, increasing Vmax was associated with incrementally higher risk for AS ‐related events. However, the cumulative 5‐year incidence of the AS ‐related events remained very high even in asymptomatic patients with less greater Vmax.

Abnormal cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSA) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of CHF. However, no previous study has compared the transcardiac gradient of norepinephrine (NE) and the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). To evaluate the prognostic role of the transcardiac gradient of NE in patients with CHF. We measured hemodynamic parameters and plasma levels of NE, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) in the aortic root (AO) and coronary sinus (CS) in 356 consecutive patients with CHF. During a median follow-up of 3.5 years, 40 patients died. Transcardiac gradients of BNP (273±276 vs. 472±433 pg/mL, p123 I- metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) could be performed, transcardiac increase in NE (ΔNE) was correlated with the washout rate (r=0.398, p=0.0009) and was a superior predictor of mortality than MIBG parameters. Patients were divided into four groups based on the cut-off levels for ΔNE and plasma NT-proBNP, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed (Figure ). The transcardiac increase in NE, as a biomarker of CSA, is an independent and useful prognostic predictor for evaluating the prognosis of CHF patients.