Study Links Moderate Aortic Stenosis to Doubled Mortality Risk
New research involving 53,000 patients reveals that most individuals with moderate aortic stenosis possess clinical features that double their two-year risk of death or heart failure hospitalization.
A real-world analysis of 53,994 patients across 48 U.S. institutions indicates that moderate aortic stenosis (AS) is nearly twice as prevalent as severe AS. Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the study found that 78.7% of patients with moderate AS exhibit at least one high-risk feature, such as atrial fibrillation or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.
The presence of these features correlates with a two-fold increase in mortality and heart failure-related hospitalizations over two years. Notably, 90% of deaths and 86% of hospitalizations in this group occurred while the patients remained categorized as moderate, rather than progressing to severe disease. The findings suggest that current guidelines, which often delay surgical intervention until the disease becomes severe, may leave a significant number of high-risk patients without timely treatment.
In response to these findings, the ACTIVATE AS prospective study was announced. Led by Dr. Philippe Généreux, the trial will use the CardioCare platform to monitor 700 patients with moderate AS every six months. The initiative aims to provide a more rigorous clinical evaluation for patients who historically fall into a surveillance-only category.