Pathogenesis and Mechanisms of Mitral Annular Calcification

Pathogenesis and Mechanisms of Mitral Annular Calcification

Researchers are testing blood or mitral valve tissue to better understand the reasons why Mitral Annular Calcification (MAC) develops in patients with heart disease.

The aim is to test the hypothesis that Endothelial Progenitor Cells osteoblastic phenotype (EPC-OCNs) play a significant role in the process of Mitral Annular Calcification (MAC) as prognostic markers of calcific cardiac valves.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with diagnosis of MAC and patients coming to the Valve Clinic without MAC diagnosis Patients who will undergo surgery, either standard surgical MVR or trans-atrial TMVR, with diagnosis of MAC or without diagnosis of MAC

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects unwilling to participate or to provide consent