Comparative value of Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterization in the decision to operate on patients with aortic stenosis

With the use of Doppler echocardiography, severity of valvular stenosis, etiology and type of valve lesions, and left ventricular function can be assessed accurately in patients with aortic stenosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the value of noninvasive clinical and Doppler echocardiographic findings, with cardiac catheterization, in the management decision-making for patients with aortic stenosis. One hundred and seventy consecutive patients with aortic stenosis who underwent cardiac catheterization and Doppler echocardiography were prospectively studied. A decision to operate, not operate or remain uncertain was made independently by experienced cardiologists given clinical information in combination with either Doppler echocardiographic (group I) or cardiac catheterization (group II) data. The severity of aortic stenosis agreed between Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterization in 168 patients (98.8%), and disagreed in two patients. There was agreement on clinical decision to operate or not operate between Group I and Group II in 160 patients (94.1%) and a discrepant decision in only two patients (1.1%). In eight patients (4.7%) with poor echogenecity or with discordance between clinical and echocardiographic data, the decision made by group I remained uncertain. We conclude that in a large majority of patients with aortic stenosis, Doppler echocardiographic assessment provides the same management decision reached by cardiac catheterization findings.