[Diagnostic criteria and clinical evaluation of tricuspid aortic valve asymmetry].

Aim: To investigate size of the aortal root and its valves in young patients and correlation between tricuspid aortal valve (TAV) asymmetry and connective tissue dysplasia (CTD).
Material and Methods: TAV symmetry was studied in young patients. Morphological examination consisted in phenotypic study of 34 corpses of young people who had died of noncardiological causes with a focus to internal signs of CTD signs and measurements of TAV and each cusp. Echocardiographic examination comprised phenotypic, clinical and echocardiographic studies of 144 young patients.
Results: Echocardiographic diagnostic criteria of TAV asymmetry were specified. They consisted in eccentricity of the line of diastolic closure of aortal cusp (M-mode echocardiography) > 1.2; distinct differences in the size of the cusps (two-dimentional study), shift of at least one of the comissures by I hour at the "clock-face". A close correlation was detected between TA V asymmetry, external and clinical manifestations of CTD. The morphological criterion of TA V asymmetry--a more than 38% increase in the ratio of cusp area to sectional area of aortal root.
Conclusion: TAV asymmetry is detected in 20% young people. It is closely related to external signs and clinical manifestations of CTD, other minor heart anomalies and may be accompanied with aortal regurgitation.