A clinicopathological study on valvular diseases in 3,000 consecutive autopsies of the aged.

The incidence and etiological classification of valvular diseases were examined on 358 cases from 3,000 consecutive autopsies of more than 60 years of age. The incidence of valvular disease was 11.9% (358 out of 3,000 cases). Mitral stenosis was found in 23 cases (6.4%), of which 21 cases were rheumatic and the remaining 2 were mitral ring calcification (MRC). Mitral regurgitation was observed in 126 cases (35.3%): 69 of papillary muscle dysfunction, 26 of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), 16 of MRC, 9 of ruptured chordae tendineae, 3 of rheumatic and 3 of congenital. Aortic stenosis was noted in 33 cases (9.2%): 27 of calcified, 5 of rheumatic and one of congenital. Aortic regurgitation was found in 169 cases (47.2%): 112 of degenerative, 47 of syphilitic, 7 of rheumatic and 2 of aortitis syndrome. There were 6 cases (1.7%) of tricuspid regurgitation. Etiological classification revealed 6 cases (1.7%) of congenital, 36 (10%) of rheumatic, 49 (13.7%) of syphilitic, 27 (7.5%) of MVP, 69 (19.3%) of ischemic and 166 (46.4%) of degenerative valvular disease. The results emphasize the high incidence of non-inflammatory valvular diseases including those of degenerative etiology in the cases studied.