ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Endocrinologica 2019 June;44(2):185-91

DOI: 10.23736/S0391-1977.18.02818-3

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The main predictors of the enlargement of ascending aorta in Turner syndrome: a cross-sectional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography study

Ruta KRIKSCIUNIENE ^{1, 2} ✉, Birute ZILAITIENE ^{1, 2}, Saulius LUKOSEVICIUS ³, Egle EREMINIENE ⁴, Raimonda KLIMAITE ^{1, 2}, Rasa VERKAUSKIENE ^{1, 2}

¹ Department of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania; ² Kauno Klinikos, Department of Endocrinology, Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania; ³ Department of Radiology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania; ⁴ Department of Cardiology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University Of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify the main predictors of the enlargement of ascending aorta and to assess the possible relation between reduced bone mineral density and a diameter of ascending aorta in the specific Turner syndrome (TS) population.
METHODS: Fifty adult females diagnosed with TS have been enrolled into the cross-sectional study. Dimensions of ascending aorta have been measured in four positions using thoracic magnetic resonance imaging, Aortic Size Index (ASI) has been calculated. BMD has been assessed on dual-energy-X ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 1-4 lumbar vertebrae and neck of the femur. According to Z Score on DXA two groups have been formed: a group of patients with normal BMD and a group with reduced BMD. Metabolic parameters and the measurements of ascending aorta have been compared between the two groups.
RESULTS: Extremely high rate of the dilatation of the root of aorta (up to 50%) was identified in this study. The larger ASI has been found in patients with reduced BMD, negative relation between BMD and ASI has been identified, although after the adjustment for SHRT this correlation remained insignificant. In the multivariate analysis, the main factors affecting ASI were age, body surface area and bicuspid aortic valve.
CONCLUSIONS: The main factors associated with the enlargement of ascending aorta in Turner syndrome were age, body surface area and bicuspid aortic valve, the relation between diameter of ascending aorta and bone mineral density was not identified.

KEY WORDS: Turner syndrome - Bone density - Dilatation - Aorta