Mitral valve prolapse associated with celiac artery stenosis: a new ultrasonographic syndrome?

1560 (41%) out of 3780 consecutive patients undergoing echocardiographic assessment of MVP, had Doppler sonography of the celiac tract to detect CAS.CAS was found in 57 (3.7%) subjects (23 males and 34 females) none of whom complained of symptoms related to visceral ischemia. MVP was observed in 47 (82.4%) subjects with and 118 (7.9%) without CAS (p < 0.001). The agreement between MVP and CAS was 39% (95% CI 32–49%). PSV (Peak Systolic Velocity) was the only predictor of CAS in MPV patients (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08–0.69) as selected in a multivariate logistic model.CAS and MVP seem to be significantly associated in patients undergoing consecutive ultrasonographic screening.Celiac artery stenosis (CAS) may be caused by atherosclerotic degeneration, as observed in different vascular districts, or by extrinsic compression (ECCA) usually exerted by an abnormally developed arched ligament of the diaphragm [1-7]. ECCA may cause abdominal or epigastric pain triggered by meals (angina abdominis), a syndrome called Celiac Artery Compression Syndrome (CACS) [1,2]. Resolution of symptoms after surgical resection of the arched ligament has been frequently reported. However, some aspects, such as the vascular etiology of symptoms, are still controversial, as the improvements observed after surgery may be attributed to the concurrent destruction of the celiac ganglion rather than to the severance of the arched ligament.Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) is the most common valvular disorder, with a prevalence of about 6–7% in the general population [8,9]. It consists of systolic displacement of one or both valvular leaflets into the left atrium, with or without mitral regurgitation. Patients with MVP may also be affected by other cardiac anomalies, such as prolapse of the aortic valve and/or of the tricuspid valve, ostium secundum interatrial sect defect, atrio-ventricular left accesses, and/or extra-cardiac anomalies, such as pectus excavatum and loss of the physiological curvature of the