Heart valve dysfunction is a relatively common condition in the population, whereas significant heart valve disease is more unusual. The cause of different types of heart valve disease depends on which valve is concerned. Rheumatic heart valve disease, has for a long time been considered to constitute a post-inflammatory condition. During the 1990s it was also shown that the so-called non-rheumatic or degenerative tricuspid aortic stenosis, comprised signs of inflammation. In this study, 118 patients (the VOCIN study group) referred to the University Hospital for preoperative investigation due to significant heart valve disease, were examined regarding signs of inflammation. Twenty-nine aortic valves from patients with significant aortic stenosis were divided into tricuspid and bicuspid aortic valves. The bicuspid aortic stenotic valves revealed signs of inflammation to a similar extent as the tricuspid valves. However, the tricuspid and bicuspid valves differed regarding distribution of calcification. In contrast, inflammation was not a predominant feature in 15 aortic and mitral valves from patients with significant heart valve regurgitation. Gross valvular pathology consistent with rheumatic aortic stenosis was found in 10 patients. These valves revealed a somewhat lower degree of inflammatory cell infiltration, but on the whole, there were no substantial differences when compared to non-rheumatic aortic stenotic valves. They did, however, reveal a similar distribution of calcification as the bicuspid, non-rheumatic aortic valves. The VOCIN study group was compared to an age- and gender matched control group with regard to history and signs of rheumatic disease. There was not any increased prevalence of clinical manifestations of non-cardiac inflammatory disease in patients with significant heart valve disease, when compared to healthy control subjects. However, patients with heart valve disease had significantly increased serum levels of inflammatory markers compared to controls. The increase in inflammatory markers remained significant even in the subgroup of non-rheumatic aortic stenosis devoid of coronary artery disease. These results indicate that a systemic inflammatory component is associated with stenotic, non-rheumatic heart valve disease. The similarities between different forms of calcific aortic valve disease indicate a similar pathogenesis. The question is raised whether aortic stenosis is one disease, mainly caused by a general and non-specific response to dynamic tissue stress due to an underlying malformation of the valve.

No description available.

Orientador: Domingo Marcolino Braile / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T03:55:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Antoniali_Fernando_M.pdf: 4775200 bytes, checksum: 8361f227d501574e0c98c3965065c58b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Objetivo: Determinar a proporção existente entre os segmentos do anel da valva tricúspide normal em humanos. Método: Foram estudados 30 corações de cadáveres humanos não formolizados, com menos de 6h de período ¿post-mortem¿, sem lesões congênitas ou adquiridas e com valvas tricúspides sem deformidades e continentes. A continência desta valva foi confirmada por injeção de água sob pressão no interior do ventrículo direito estando a valva pulmonar fechada. Foram realizadas fotos digitais da valva tricúspide com o anel valvar íntegro e após secção na comissura póstero-septal e retificação do anel valvar. Estas fotos contendo escalas milimetradas foram avaliadas por programa específico de computador. Foram feitas medidas computadorizadas do perímetro, segmento septal e segmento ântero-posterior do anel valvar íntegro. Nesta condição também foram feitas medidas da distância linear entre as comissuras ântero-septal e póstero-septal. Na condição de anel valvar retificado, foram realizadas medidas computadorizadas e manuais do perímetro e dos segmentos septal, anterior e posterior do anel valvar tricuspídeo. Compararam-se as medidas médias e as razões entre elas nas condições de anel íntegro e retificado. Compararam-se, também, a forma computadorizada e manual de mensuração do anel. Resultados: Nas medidas computadorizadas realizadas com imagens digitais do anel valvar íntegro, os valores médios do perímetro, segmento septal e ântero-posterior foram 105mm (±12,7), 30,6mm (±3,7) e 74mm (±9,4), respectivamente. A distância linear média entre as comissuras ântero-septal e póstero-septal foi de 28,9mm (±3,4). Nas medidas computadorizadas realizadas com imagens digitais do anel valvar retificado, os valores médios foram 117,5mm (±13,3), 32mm (±3,7), 46,3mm (±8,3) e 39,1mm (±8,5), respectivamente para perímetro, segmento septal, anterior e posterior. A razão média entre o segmento ântero-posterior e o septal foi 2,43 (±0,212) e 2,67 (±0,304) respectivamente em anéis íntegros e retificados. Houve diferenças significantes entre as medidas do perímetro (p<0,0001), do segmento septal (p=0,003) e do segmento ântero-posterior (p<0,0001) quando realizadas em anéis íntegros e retificados. As razões entre segmento ântero-posterior e septal também apresentaram diferença significante (p=0,0005). As medidas manuais do anel valvar retificado apresentaram os valores médios de 118,5mm (±12,7), 32,6mm (±3,4), 46,6mm (±7,7) e 39,3mm (±7,9), respectivamente para perímetro, segmento septal, anterior e posterior. Não houve diferenças significantes entre medidas manuais e computadorizadas. Conclusões: A proporção existente entre os segmento septal e o segmento ântero-posterior, do anel da valva tricúspide normal em humanos, é igual a 1 : 2,43. A secção e retificação do anel tricuspídeo altera as medidas de seus segmentos e suas relações / Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion among the segments of the human tricuspid valve annulus. Methods: Descriptive autopsy study of 30 human hearts, without fixation, with less than six hours of post-mortem period, without congenital or acquired lesions and without tricuspid regurgitation. The tricuspid valve insufficiency was excluded by infusion of pressured water in the right ventricle with closed pulmonary valve. Digital images of the tricuspid ring on anatomical position and on flattened state were analyzed by specific software. Computerized measurements of the perimeter, septal segment, anteroposterior segment and the linear distance between the anteroseptal and posteroseptal commissures were obtained on anatomical position. Computerized and manual measurements of the perimeter, septal, anterior and posterior segments were obtained on flattened state. The measurements were demonstrated and compared on the two different situations, anatomical position and flattened. The computerized measurements were compared with the manual ones. Results: The mean values of the perimeter, septal and anteroposterior segments of the tricuspid ring, obtained by computerized measurements on anatomical position were: 105mm (±12.7), 30.6mm (±3.7) e 74mm (±9.4), respectively. The mean linear distance between the anteroseptal and posteroseptal commissures was 28.9mm (±3.4). On the flattened state and by computerized measurements, the mean value of the perimeter was 117.5mm (±13.3) and of the septal, anterior e posterior segments were respectively: 32mm (±3.7), 46.3mm (±8.3) e 39.1mm (±8.5). The mean ratio between the antero-posterior and septal segments was 2.43 (±0.212) on the anatomical position and on flattened state was 2.67 (±0.304). Statistical differences were observed in the measurements of perimeter (p<0.0001), septal segment (p=0.003) e antero-posterior segment (p<0.0001) on the two situations. Statistical difference also occurred on the ratios between the antero-posterior and septal segments (p=0.0005). The mean values obtained by manual measurements of the tricuspid ring on flattened state were: 118.5mm (±12.7), 32.6mm (±3.4), 46.6mm (±7.7) e 39.3mm (±7.9), respectively for perimeter, septal, anterior and posterior segments. There weren¿t statistical differences on computerized and manual measurements. Conclusions: The proportion between the septal and antero-posterior segments of the normal human tricuspid valve is 1 : 2.43. The attitude of flatting the tricuspid ring to measure the segments, changes their values and the ratios between them / Mestrado / Cirurgia / Mestre em Cirurgia