[Concentration of osteoprotegerin and RANKL in blood serum of patients with aortic stenosis].

PURPOSE: to compare blood serum levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor B ligand (sRANKL) in patients with different morphological variants of stenosis.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included in this study 57 patients with aortic stenosis: 29 with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and 28 with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). Subjects without heart diseases (n=32) were also examined. In all patients we determined lipid profile and measured serum levels of C-reactive protein, OPG and sRANKL.
RESULTS: OPG levels were evaluated in all patients with aortic stenosis while evaluated sRANKL was found only in patients with BAV. Age and arterial hypertension were key risk factors for OPG/RANKL/RANK system activation.
CONCLUSION: Despite differences in pathogenesis of aortic stenosis in patients with BAV and TAV processes of calcification may have common mechanisms. The data obtained correspond to the conception of importance of OPG/RANKL/RANK system activation for development and progression of degenerative aortic stenosis.