Syphilitic Aortic Insufficiency

Abstract

Fifty-six patients with aortic insufficiency, presumably syphilitic in origin, were encountered among 345 patients with a history of syphilis in a municipal clinic and hospital population. Little physical handicap and relative longevity characterized the involved patients. Of the syphilitic patients, 33% (9 of 27) of those over 70 years of age had aortic insufficiency, while only 7% (5 of 70) of those under 70 years of age were so involved. The venereal disease research laboratory test for syphilis was nonreactive in 30% (17) of these patients, whereas the more sensitive fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test was nonreactive in only 1.9% (1 of 53) of those with aortic insufficiency.