Table 1.
Baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of the study population according to the severity of AS
| Total (n=306) | Moderate AS (n=204) | Severe AS (n=102) | P value | |
| Demographic and clinical data | ||||
| Age, years | 65±12 | 64±12 | 69±11 | <0.01 |
| Male, female % | 67, 33 | 70, 30 | 61, 39 | 0.134 |
| Obesity | 80 (26%) | 55 (27%) | 25 (25%) | 0.944 |
| Smokers | 147 (48%) | 96 (47%) | 51 (50%) | 0.586 |
| Coronary artery disease | 152 (50%) | 118 (58%) | 36 (35%) | 0.001 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 43 (14%) | 31 (15%) | 12 (12%) | 0.409 |
| Previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack | 37 (12%) | 28 (14%) | 9 (9%) | 0.233 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 43 (14%) | 21 (10%) | 22 (21%) | 0.056 |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | 202 (66%) | 144 (71%) | 58 (57%) | 0.029 |
| Clinic systolic BP, mm Hg | 142±19 | 140±18 | 145±21 | 0.052 |
| Clinic diastolic BP, mm Hg | 82±13 | 81±12 | 86±11 | 0.001 |
| Hypertension | 223 (73%) | 146 (72%) | 77 (75%) | 0.565 |
| Antihypertensive treatment | 199 (65%) | 133 (65%) | 66 (65%) | 0.992 |
| Beta blockers | 101 (33%) | 65 (32%) | 36 (35%) | 0.805 |
| Diuretics | 92 (30%) | 63 (31%) | 29 (28%) | 0.581 |
| Calcium blockers | 80 (26%) | 49 (24%) | 31 (29%) | 0.618 |
| ACE inhibitors | 60 (20%) | 49 (24%) | 11 (11%) | 0.036 |
| ARB inhibitors | 37 (12%) | 27 (13%) | 10 (10%) | 0.447 |
| Alpha blockers | 25 (8%) | 19 (9%) | 6 (6%) | 0.368 |
| Echocardiographic data | ||||
| LV end-diastolic diameter, cm | 4.6±0.7 | 4.6±0.6 | 4.5±0.7 | 0.301 |
| Interventricular septal thickness, cm | 1.29±0.26 | 1.27±0.25 | 1.35±0.28 | <0.018 |
| Posterior wall thickness, cm | 1.12±0.22 | 1.10±0.20 | 1.15±0.26 | <0.036 |
| LV mass index, g/m2.7 | 52±17 | 50±16 | 55±20 | 0.098 |
| LV hypertrophy | 165 (54%) | 106 (52%) | 60 (59%) | 0.357 |
| LV ejection fraction % | 60±7 | 60±7 | 60±6 | 0.821 |
| Peak aortic jet velocity, m/s | 3.7±0.6 | 3.4±0.5 | 4.4±0.5 | <0.001 |
| Mean aortic gradient, mm Hg | 34±13 | 28±8 | 47±12 | <0.001 |
| Effective orifice area, cm2 | 0.94±0.22 | 1.04±0.20 | 0.74±0.14 | <0.001 |
| Doppler stroke volume index, mL/m2 | 43±13 | 44±15 | 41±10 | 0.206 |
| PP/SVi, mm Hg/mL/m2 | 1.46±0.57 | 1.44±0.56 | 1.50±0.60 | 0.512 |
| Zva, mm Hg/mL/m2 | 4.37±1.25 | 4.08±1.20 | 4.85±1.19 | <0.001 |
| LV stroke work, g-m/bpm | 159.9±52.7 | 161.3±56.7 | 157.9±44.7 | 0.606 |
ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; AS, aortic stenosis; BP, blood pressure; LV, left ventricular; PP/SVi, pulse pressure/stroke volume index; Zva, valvuloarterial impedance; bpm, beats per minute.