Dilatation of the aortic valve portion in aortitis syndrome. Angiographic evaluation of 70 patients.

The dilatation of the aortic valve portion was evaluated by angiography in 70 patients with aortitis syndrome (Takayasu's arteritis). The diameter at aortic valve commissure was 20 +/- 2.8 min/M2 (NS, vs control) in 46 patients without aortic insufficiency (AI), 23 +/- 2.0 (p less than 0.02, vs without AI) in 11 patients with AI (I or II in grade), 27 +/- 2.0 (p less than 0.01, vs I or II in grade) in 13 patients with AI (III or IV in grade). The diameter was 20 +/- 2.0 in 13 normal control cases and 20 +/- 4.0 in 6 patients with rheumatic AI. The diameters at the levels of aortic valve annulus, sinus of Valsalva and ascending aorta increased also significantly in the patients with AI secondary to aortitis syndrome. The diameter at aortic valve commissure in 24 patients with AI was correlated (r = -0.48, p less than 0.05) to the diastolic blood pressure. Any diameter at the aortic valve portion was not different significantly by the complication of systolic hypertension (greater than or equal to 180 mmHg) in both groups of cases with and without AI. These results indicated that the dilatation of the aortic valve portion was observed in the patient with AI secondary to aortitis syndrome and might be the primary and common cause of AI in all grades, and that the dilatation might not be accelerated by the associated hypertension.