Abstract
Previous studies(1-9) have confirmed the usefulness echocardiography in assessing the severity of aortic stenosis, in terms of peak gradient, mean gradient, and aortic valve area (AVA). In these studies, echocardiographic data were not collected during cardiac catheterization, and the catheter for left ventricular (LV) pressure recording was passed retrogradely into the LV cavity. These two factors, representing a source of potential error, were avoided in this study involving 30 patients with documented aortic stenosis. Echocardiographic studies were conducted simultaneously with invasive determination of pressure gradients and AVA, and the transseptal approach was used for LV pressure recording. Our data confirm that echocardiography represents a valuable tool for routine clinical assessment of aortic stenosis.