The natural history of syphilitic heart disease as seen in a hospital population (abstract only)

ABSTRACT

An attempt has been made to give an assessment of aortic incompetence in a hospital population and to show the expectation of life once cardiac failure has developed. Seventy one cases have been analysed and 32 are dead, 15 of these from cardiac failure due directly to the incompetent aortic valve. All but 3 of the cases dying perished within 2 years of the onset of symptoms mainly in the fifth decade of life; in these 3 survival up to 5 years was possible. Of the cases still living the average follow-up period is 28 months, but again survival up to 4 years and beyond is possible even after the onset of cardiac failure (AU)