Patient characteristics.
| Preoperative parameters | AS, n = 41 | MR, n = 17 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, yr | 68 ± 9 | 60 ± 14 | 0.03 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 28 ± 4 | 27 ± 3 | 0.34 |
| Gender balance (female/male) | 21/20 | 5/12 | 0.22 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 140 ± 19 | 131 ± 16 | 0.12 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 74 ± 11 | 76 ± 14 | 0.67 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 27 (69) | 11 (65) | 1 |
| Dyslipidemia | 8 (21) | 3 (18) | 1 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 7 (17) | 2 (12) | 1 |
| Coronary artery disease, n (%) | 2 (5) | 2 (12) | 1 |
| Atrial fibrillation, paroxysmal | 2 (5) | 2 (12) | 0.709 |
| Atrial fibrillation, permanent | 0 (0) | 2 (12) | 0.149 |
| Left ventricular end-diastolic volume, ml/m2 | 73 ± 17 | 108 ± 35 | <0.001 |
| Left ventricular myocardial mass, g/m2 | 71 ± 20 | 67 ± 15 | 0.385 |
| Mean pressure gradient aortic valve, mm Hg | 56 ± 15 | 4 ± 8 | <0.0001 |
| Mitral valve regurgitation, grade (none/mild, moderate, severe) | (41, 0, 0) | (0, 10, 7) | <0.0001 |
| Aortic valve insufficiency, grade (none/mild, moderate, severe) | (36, 5, 0) | (17, 0, 0) | 0.321 |
| Left ventricular ejection fraction, % | 60 ± 7.4 | 64 ± 6.2 | 0.13 |
| Medication: ACE inhibitor, n (%) | 15 (37) | 5 (29) | 1 |
| Medication: beta-blocker, n (%) | 20 (49) | 10 (59) | 0.358 |
| Medication: diuretics, n (%) | 12 (29) | 5 (29) | 1 |
Data are presented as numbers (%) or mean ± SD. ACE inhibitor, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; AS, aortic valve stenosis; BMI, body mass index; MR, mitral valve regurgitation; n, number. Mean pressure gradient aortic valve describes severity of aortic valve stenosis, and mitral valve regurgitation describes severity of mitral valve insufficiency. Statistical comparison was performed with a two-sided, two-sample Wilcoxon rank test in case of numeric data and with a chi-squared test in case of categorical data. Controls (n = 17; female = 8, male = 9) were 44 ± 15-yr-old healthy cardiac organ donors without cardiovascular diseases.