In this issue of Heart there are several articles of particular interest to clinicians caring for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease The association of bicuspid aortic valve disease with aortic dilation is now well recognised. However, it has been less clear whether all patients with a bicuspid aortic valve are at risk of progressive aortic dilation and adverse clinical events or whether we can identify a high risk subgroup. In a comparative study of aortic anatomy, Detaint and colleagues (See page 126) found a high prevalence of aortic dilation in adults with a bicuspid aortic valve. Although the average rate of aortic dilation was similar to Marfan syndrome patients, there was marked variability in the rate of progression with many patients with a bicuspid aortic valve having no evidence for progression aortic dilation.

In an accompanying editorial, Professor Della Corte (See …