CRT 25 - Insights on the progression risk in patients with mild to moderate aortic stenosis (AS) show that there was no significant difference in progression rates between mild and moderate AS. However, moderate AS patients had significantly higher mortality rates than mild AS patients at one- and two-year follow ups. The study also suggests that elevated phosphate levels and elevated inflammation markers are risk factors for the progression of AS.

Dr Baravan Al-Kassou (University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, DE) joins us to discuss the key insights from the GUARD prospective, observational study evaluating the rate of progression, risk factors and clinical implications on outcomes in patients diagnosed with mild to moderate AS between 2019 and 2023. Patients underwent echocardiography at baseline and at every six months and a biochemical evaluation at each visit. The primary endpoints were the progression rate of AS and all-cause mortality.

Interview Questions:
1. What is the importance behind the GUARD study?
2. What are the current unmet needs in mild to moderate AS management?
3. What was the study design and patient population?
4. What are the key outcomes?
5. How should these findings impact clinical practice?
6. What are the next steps?

Recorded remotely from Bonn, 2025.

Editors: Yazmin Sadik, Jordan Rance
Videographers: Dan Brent, David Ben-Harosh

Support: This is an independent interview produced by Radcliffe Cardiology.