Assessment of Aortic Stenosis Severity Using Pressure Drop Coefficient: A Retrospective Study in Humans

Accurate assessment of the stenosis severity is critical in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). The ambiguities and reduced sensitivities of the current diagnostic parameters can result in sub-optimal clinical decision making. In this preliminary study, we investigate the functional diagnostic parameter CDP (ratio of the transvalvular pressure drop to the proximal dynamic pressure) for the assessment of AS severity by correlating with the current diagnostic parameters. CDP was calculated using diagnostic parameters obtained from retrospective chart reviews. CDP values were calculated independently from Doppler and catheterization measurements. CDP exhibited better correlation with transvalvular pressure drop and jet velocity simultaneously, than when correlated independently with the same diagnostic parameters. CDP increases with increasing AS severity, which is consistent with hydrodynamic principles. This retrospective study is a prelude to a prospective study to evaluate CDP for AS severity assessment.