Identification of Genetic Causes of Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease
Identification of Genetic Causes of Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease
BAVgenetics is a partnership between Investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
 Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard-Partners Center
 for Genetics and Genomics, dedicated to discovering the genetic causes of bicuspid aortic
 valve disease and associated aortic disease.
The Investigators at BAVgenetics are dedicated to discovering the mechanisms of bicuspid
 aortic valve disease and why individual genetics seem to play such an important role in
 generation of this disease.

 If you have, or have had, a bicuspid aortic valve, we seek your help in this effort by
 volunteering to donate DNA to the BAV Registry, so that this disease can be better understood
 and therapies for it can be developed.

 The BAV Registry is comprised of patients who have donated DNA collected from saliva (spit)
 and have provided us with personal health information that tells us about their bicuspid
 aortic valve.

 Individuals in the Registry have signed the consent form, filled out the medical history
 questionnaire and the authorization form, and provided DNA via our saliva sample kits.

 We will send you the requisite forms so that you receive the most up-to-date information
 about the study as older forms may be outdated. We also need paper copies of the forms;
 therefore, we send all the forms via ground mail along with a pre-paid return envelope for
 your convenience.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Any adult patient ≥ 14 years of age may be recruited regardless of gender, ethnicity
 or racial group.

 -  Patients with a diagnosis of bicuspid aortic valve will be enrolled.

 -  Patients who have had their bicuspid aortic valve previously replaced will also be
 enrolled.

 -  Relatives of patients with a diagnosis of bicuspid aortic valve are also welcomed to
 be enrolled regardless if they have BAV or not, as it is helpful to examine the DNA of
 first degree relatives.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Non-English speaking