Early Detection of Aortic Dilatation in Ankylosing Spondylitis using Echocardiography

Abstract

Abstract: :Early detection of aortic dilatation in ankylosing spondylitis using echocardiography. D. Thomas, W. Hill, R. Geddes, M. Sheppard, J. Arnold, J. Fritzsche and P. M. Brooks, Aust. N.Z. J. Med., 1982, 12, pp. 10–13. Aortic root abnormalities including cusp thickening, subvalvular stenosis, and mild aortic root dilatation are the most common cardiac complications in patients with long standing ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Twenty‐three patients with definite idiopathic AS (New York Criteria 1966) and twenty‐two matched controls were studied with M‐mode echocardiography. Only one of the AS patients had clinical aortic incompetence. Six of the AS patients had mildly dilated aortic roots..