REGRESSION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR MASS AFTER MITRAL-VALVE REPAIR OF PUREMITRAL REGURGITATION

To evaluate the effect of mitral valve repair on the regression of lef t ventricular mass, we studied 50 consecutive patients with severe, pu re mitral regurgitation undergoing mitral valve repair. Two-dimensiona l echocardiograms were recorded a mean 2.5 +/- 2.0 weeks before and 6. 5 +/- 2.5 months after valve operation. Postoperative significant mitr al regurgitation was present in 3 patients. After mitral valve repair there were significant decreases in left ventricular end-diastolic vol ume index (133 +/- 39 mL/m(2) to 79 +/- 35 mL/m(2); p < 0.001), end-sy stolic volume index (44 +/- 26 mL/m(2) to 30 +/- 26 mL/m(2); p < 0.001 ), stroke volume index (89 +/- 29 mL/m(2) to 49 +/- 19 mL/m(2); p < 0. 001), and mass index (211 +/- 82 g/m(2) to 134 +/- 52 g/m(2); p < 0.00 1). There also were significant decreases in left atrial dimension (47 +/- 9 mm to 38 +/- 9 mm; p < 0.001), left ventricular end-diastolic d imension (61 +/- 8 mm to 48 +/- 7 mm; p < 0.001), and end-systolic dim ension (39 +/- 8 mm to 32 +/- 7 mm; p < 0.001). Left ventricular eject ion fraction decreased slightly from 0.69 +/- 0.12 to 0.64 +/- 0.12; p < 0.01) after repair. Thus, correction of pure mitral regurgitation l eads to reduction of the cardiac chamber size and left ventricular vol umes as well as regression of the left ventricular mass.