Sex dimorphism in the myocardial response to aortic stenosis

Abstract

Objectives: The goal of this study was to explore sex differences in myocardial remodeling in aortic stenosis (AS) by using echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and biomarkers.

Background: AS is a disease of both valve and left ventricle (LV). Sex differences in LV remodeling are reported in AS and may play a role in disease phenotyping.

Methods: This study was a prospective assessment of patients awaiting surgical valve replacement for severe AS using echocardiography, the 6-min walking test, biomarkers (high-sensitivity troponin T and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide), and CMR with late gadolinium enhancement and extracellular volume fraction, which dichotomizes the myocardium into matrix and cell volumes. LV remodeling was categorized into normal geometry, concentric remodeling, concentric hypertrophy, and eccentric hypertrophy.