Arterial stiffness in adult patients after coarctation of aorta repair and with bicuspid aortic valve

Objectives: The coarctation of aorta is commonly related to bicuspid aortic valve. The aim of the study was to assess arterial stiffness in adults after aortic coarctation repair and to evaluate an impact of bicuspid aortic valve concomitance on arterial stiffness results. Methods: Fifty-eight patients after coarctation of aorta repair, 36 male, median age of 27.46 +/- 10.57, were compared to 30 with bicuspid aortic valve and to 30 healthy, sex, age and BMI matched volunteers. Physical examination, laboratory analysis and non-invasive assessment of arterial stiffness were performed. Results: CoA patients and BAV patients have higher central arterial stiffness parameters in comparison to healthy controls: AP (7.86 +/- 6.56 vs 7.68 +/- 5.96 vs 1.41 +/- 3.82 mmHg, p < 0.001, p = 0.011, respectively) and AIx (18.81 +/- 14.94 vs 18.06 +/- 13.38 vs 4.41 +/- 10.82%, p < 0.001, p = 0.006, respectively). There were no differences of PWV between CoA patients, BAV patients and healthy controls (6.07 +/- 1.20 vs 5.95 +/- 1.20 vs 5.67 +/- 0.73 m/s, p = 0.099, p = 0.278, respectively). In CoA group, there was correlation of PWV with age (r = 0.55 p < 0.001), BMI (r = 0.29, p = 0.025), fibrinogen (r = 0.31, p = 0.039), glucose (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), ascending aorta diameter (r = 0.29, p = 0.026) and age at operation (r = 0.27, p = 0.041). Among group of BAV, there was a correlation of PWV with age (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), central AP with total cholesterol (r = 0.38, p = 0.036) and fibrinogen (r = 0.41, p = 0.024). Conclusions: The increased arterial stiffness occurs in both groups: patients after aortic coarctation repair and patients with bicuspid aortic valve. Concomitance of coarctation of the aorta and bicuspid aortic valve has no influence on arterial stiffness augmentation.