In Marfan syndrome, aortic regurgitation may be associated with which other valvular abnormality?

In Marfan syndrome, aortic regurgitation may be associated with which other valvular abnormality?

• A. Tricuspid regurgitation
• B. Mitral valve prolapse
• C. Pulmonary valve stenosis
• D. Aortic stenosis

Answer: (B)

In Marfan syndrome, the underlying problem is defective connective tissue due to fibrillin-1 mutations, which leads to weakness of the vessel walls and the valves. This tissue fragility causes cystic medial degeneration of the aorta, producing aortic root dilation and often aortic regurgitation. The same process also affects the mitral valve apparatus, causing myxomatous degeneration that makes the leaflets floppy and prone to prolapse during systole. That mitral valve prolapse can accompany the aortic pathology, and may be associated with mitral regurgitation as well. So, the mitral valve prolapse is the most typical associated valvular abnormality in this scenario. The other options are not as characteristic of Marfan syndrome: tricuspid regurgitation, pulmonary valve stenosis, and aortic stenosis are not the classic coexisting valvular findings linked with Marfan’s connective-tissue pathology.

In Marfan syndrome, the underlying problem is defective connective tissue due to fibrillin-1 mutations, which leads to weakness of the vessel walls and the valves. This tissue fragility causes cystic medial degeneration of the aorta, producing aortic root dilation and often aortic regurgitation. The same process also affects the mitral valve apparatus, causing myxomatous degeneration that makes the leaflets floppy and prone to prolapse during systole. That mitral valve prolapse can accompany the aortic pathology, and may be associated with mitral regurgitation as well.

So, the mitral valve prolapse is the most typical associated valvular abnormality in this scenario. The other options are not as characteristic of Marfan syndrome: tricuspid regurgitation, pulmonary valve stenosis, and aortic stenosis are not the classic coexisting valvular findings linked with Marfan’s connective-tissue pathology.