Background and aim of the study: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the incidence of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) in Chinese patients with aortic valve disease.
Methods: Articles published between January 2000 and January 2015 were retrieved, and those reporting numbers of BAVs were selected. Data relating to congenital BAV and rheumatic lesions with functional BAV that were available for analysis were also collected.
Results: A total of 4,070 articles (3,538 in Chinese, 532 in English) was retrieved, among which 3,954 were excluded and 116 were selected. Ultimately, 20 articles remained for further analysis, and these revealed that the prevalence of confirmed BAVs in aortic valves was 10.92% (133/1,218). The long-term follow up survival rate of patients undergoing surgical procedures to treat BAVs ranged from 76.7% to 91.7%.
Conclusions: The prevalence of BAVs in aortic valve disease remains high among the Chinese population. Rheumatic lesions with functional BAV have frequently been described in the Chinese population. More epidemiological data are required to better characterize and understand aortic valve disease, especially in the context of transcatheter aortic valve implantation.