Rytand-Lipsitch syndrome.

An 84-year-old woman had Rytand-Lipsitch syndrome, ie, total atrioventricular block resulting from destruction of the central areas of the conducting system due to extension of calcification from the fibrous ring of the mitral valve. In a postmortem coronary arteriographic study of 500 hearts, degenerative calcification of the fibrous ring of the mitral valve was demonstrated in 4.4% (95% confidence limits--2.8% to 6.6%), rheumatic valvular changes not being included. There were significantly more women than men with calcification of the mitral valve apparatus (P less than .00005). Division of the material into two groups larger than or equal to 70 years and less than 70 years showed a statistically significant sex difference in the former group (P les than .005), whereas the sex difference was of borderline significance in the latter group (.1 greater than P greater than .05).