From the Guidelines
Senile degeneration of the aortic valve is not a primary cause of aortic regurgitation. Aortic regurgitation occurs when the aortic valve doesn't close properly, allowing blood to flow backward from the aorta into the left ventricle during diastole. The main causes of aortic regurgitation include rheumatic heart disease (which can cause valve leaflet thickening and retraction), trauma to the aortic valve or aortic root, and infective endocarditis (which can destroy valve tissue) 1. While age-related changes can affect heart valves, the term "senile degeneration" typically refers to aortic stenosis, not regurgitation. Age-related calcific degeneration tends to cause valve stiffening and narrowing (stenosis) rather than the incomplete closure that leads to regurgitation. Other common causes of aortic regurgitation include congenital abnormalities like bicuspid aortic valve, connective tissue disorders like Marfan syndrome, and aortic root dilation from hypertension or aortic dissection 1. It's worth noting that some studies may suggest senile leaflet calcifications as a cause of AR, but this is more commonly associated with stenosis rather than regurgitation 1. In clinical practice, the focus should be on identifying and managing the underlying cause of aortic regurgitation to improve patient outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality.
From the Research
Causes of Aortic Regurgitation
The causes of aortic regurgitation include:
Not a Cause of Aortic Regurgitation
There are no research papers to assist in answering which of the provided options is not a cause of aortic regurgitation, as all the options (rheumatic disease, trauma, senile degeneration of aortic valve, infective endocarditis) are recognized as potential causes of aortic regurgitation in the provided studies 5, 4, 2, 6, 3.