Abstract 11653: the Qualitative Grading of Aortic Valve Calcification in Severe Aortic Stenosis is Weakly Associated with Aortic Valve Weight and is Gender Dependent

Background: In severe aortic stenosis (AS), qualitative estimation of aortic valve calcification (AVC) burden by echocardiography has diagnostic and prognostic value. Hypothesis: there is a weak association between a qualitative calcium score (QCS) by TEE and AV weight in severe AS. Methods: Between 2010-2014, of 719 pts who underwent surgical AVR for isolated severe AS, QCS was feasible in 483 (67%): mean age 76.7 ± 9.5 yrs, 59% males, EF 56 ±12%, AVAi 0.35 ±0.09 cm2/m2, AVW 2.45 ± 0.09 g, QCS 3.5± 0.57, 11% bicuspid valves . AVC was determined using short- and long-axis views and graded as mild (1) localized, small, nondense calcifications to severe (4) extensive thickening and calcification of all cusps. TEEs were done on the day of surgery and excised valves were weighed. Independent t-test, Fisher’s exact test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation were done as appropriate. Results: Intraclass correlations for intra and interobserver variability were 0.76 and 0.53 , respectively.The association between indices of AS severity and AVC burden, is stronger for AVW than for QCS (table).19 pts had QCS = 2, 183 = 3 and 280 = 4. A QCS of 2 to 4 corresponded to an AVW of 1 to 6 g. The correlation between QCS and AVW was 0.11, p=.01, and 0.09, p =.04 when controlling for age, sex and BSA. QCS-AVW association was gender dependent : for females (196), who had a lower severity of stenosis, r=0.23, p=0.001, for males (286), r=0.02, p=.68 with p =.02 for the difference. Conclusions: 1. In severe AS, QCS by TEE has limited reliability with no relationship with AVW in males and a weak one in females. 2. The utilization of QCS in severe AS even when employing TEE is weakly associated with total AVC burden and should probably be replaced by quantitative objective non- echocardiographic methods.