PURPOSE: Degenerative aortic valve disease (AVD) is a complex disorder that goes beyond valve itself, also undermining aortic wall. We aimed to assess the ascending aortic mechanics with two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) and hypothesized a relationship with degree of AR. Aortic mechanics were then compared with those of similarly studied healthy...
Evaluation of vascular mechanics through two-dimensional speckle-tracking (2D-ST) echocardiography is a feasible and accurate approach for assessing vascular stiffening. Degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) is currently considered a systemic vascular disease where rigidity of arterial walls increases. To assess the circumferential ascending aorta strain rate (CAASR) in thoracic aortas of patients with AS, applying...