Preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction and left atrium reverse remodeling after mitral regurgitation surgery

Background: Left atrium enlargement has been associated with cardiac events in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). Left atrium reverse remodeling (LARR) occur after surgical correction of MR, but the preoperative predictors of this phenomenon are not well known. It is therefore important to identify preoperative predictors for postoperative LARR.Methods: We enrolled 62 patients with chronic severe MR (prolapse or flail leaflet) who underwent successful mitral valve surgery (repair or replacement); all with pre-and postoperative echocardiography. LARR was defined as a reduction in left atrium volume index (LAVI) of >= 25%. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of LARR.Results: LARR occurred in 46 patients (74.2%), with the mean LAVI decreasing from 85.5 mL/m(2) to 49.7 mL/m(2) (p = 25% with a sensitivity of 71.7% and a specificity of 56.3%.Conclusions: LARR occurs frequently after mitral valve surgery and is associated with preoperative LVEF higher than 63.5%.Inst Dante Pazzanese Cardiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilDisciplina Cardiol, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Sensibilidade e especificidade do hormônio natriurético do tipo B para identificar doentes com insuficiência mitral grave sintomáticos e assintomáticos Sensitivity and specificity of B-type natriuretic peptide for identifying symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation

OBJETIVO: Verificar a sensibilidade e a especificidade do hormônio natriurético do tipo B (BNP) para identificar pacientes ambulatoriais, com insuficiência mitral crônica grave, sintomáticos e assintomáticos. MÉTODOS: Um grupo de pacientes com insuficiência mitral foi examinado e submetido à eletrocardiografia, telerradiografia de tórax, coletas de sangue venoso e ecocardiograma transtorácico. Por meio da análise de variáveis ecocardiográficas, 62 pacientes apresentavam refluxo mitral discreto e moderado (G I) e 34 refluxo mitral grave (G II). A capacidade discriminante do BNP em detectar pacientes com insuficiência mitral grave foi avaliada pela construção de curvas ROC. RESULTADOS: Entre os 96 doentes, 71 (73%) eram mulheres e as idades variaram entre 15 e 63 (média de 31,7) anos. Os valores de BNP variaram de 0,00 pg/ml a 193 pg/ml. Os doentes do G I tiveram um valor médio de BNP de 18,10 &plusmn; 0,74 pg/ml e os do G II de 50,54 &plusmn; 1,46 pg/ml, (p=0,001). O valor de corte para identificar insuficiência mitral grave foi de 15,40 pg/ml, para o melhor balanço entre a sensibilidade e a especificidade, respectivamente de 0,73 e 0,74. O valor de corte para identificar pacientes sintomáticos e com insuficiência mitral grave foi de 28,40 pg/ml, para o melhor balanço entre a sensibilidade e a especificidade, respectivamente de 0,78 e 0,83. CONCLUSÃO: Os valores de BNP capazes de indentificar doentes com insuficiência mitral grave assintomáticos e sintomáticos são menores do que os 100 pg/ml considerados para o diagnóstico de insuficiência cardíaca.<br>OBJECTIVE: To assess the sensitivity and specificity of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) for identifying symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with severe chronic mitral regurgitation followed up on an outpatient care basis. METHODS: A group of patients with mitral regurgitation underwent electrocardiography, chest teleradiography, venous blood withdrawal, and transthoracic echocardiography. Based on an analysis of the echocardiographic variables, 62 patients had mild and moderate mitral regurgitation (GI) and 34 had severe mitral regurgitation (GII). The discriminating capacity of the BNP for detecting patients with severe mitral regurgitation was assessed by use of ROC curves. RESULTS: The patients' ages ranged from 15 to 63 (mean, 31.7) years, and of the 96 patients, 71 (73%) were females. The BNP values ranged from 0.00 pg/mL to 193 pg/mL. The mean BNP values in GI and GII patients were 18.10 ± 0.74 pg/mL and 50.54 ± 1.46 pg/mL, respectively (P=0.001). The cutoff point for identifying severe mitral regurgitation was 15.40 pg/mL for the best balance between sensitivity and specificity, which were 0.73 and 0.74, respectively. The cutoff point for identifying symptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation was 28.40 pg/mL for the best balance between sensitivity and specificity, which were 0.78 and 0.83, respectively. CONCLUSION: The BNP values capable of identifying asymptomatic and symptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation are lower than 100 pg/mL, which is considered for the diagnosis of heart failure

Fibrinolytic therapy for thrombosis in cardiac valvular prosthesis short and long term results

OBJECTIVE: To assess the short- and long-term results of the use of streptokinase (SK) for the treatment of thromboses in cardiac valvular prostheses. METHODS: Seventeen patients with cardiac prosthetic thrombosis diagnosed by clinical, echocardiographic, and radioscopic findings underwent fibrinolytic treatment with a streptokinase bolus of 250,000 U followed by 100.000 U/hour. Short- and long-term results were assessed by radioscopy and echocardiography. RESULTS: Of the 17 patients, 12 had mechanical double-disk prostheses (4 aortic, 6 mitral, 2 tricuspid), 4 had single-disk prostheses (2 aortic, 1 mitral, and 1 tricuspid), and 1 had a tricuspid bioprosthesis. The success rate was 64.8%, the partial success rate was 17.6%, and the nonsuccess rate was 17.6%. All patients with a double-disk prosthesis responded, completely or partially, to the treatment. None of the patients with a single-disk prosthesis had complete resolution of the thrombosis. The time of streptokinase infusion ranged from 6 to 80 hours (mean of 56 h). The mortality rate due to the use of streptokinase was 5.8% and was secondary to cerebral bleeding. During streptokinase infusion, 3 (17.6%) embolic episodes occurred as follows: 1 cerebral, 1 peripheral, and 1 coronary. The rethrombosis index was 33% in a mean follow-up of 42 months. CONCLUSION: The use of fibrinolytic agents was effective and relatively safe in patients with primary thrombosis of a double-disk prosthesis. A fatal hemorrhagic complication occurred in 1 (5.8%) patient, and embolic complications occurred in 3 (17.6%) patients. In a mean 42-month follow-up, 67% of the patients were free from rethrombosis

Comissurotomia mitral: como evoluem os pacientes a longo prazo? Open mitral commissurotomy: how are the longterm results?

Procuranco saber qual a evolução a longo prazo daqueles pacientes submetidos a comissurotomia mitral há mais de 14 anos, analisamos 100 pacientes, operados entre 1962 e 1975 e que tiveram seu acompanhamento no Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia. Muitos pacientes foram operados nesse intervalo, mas não tiveram seu seguimento em nossa Instituição e não foram considerados. Setenta e seis eram do sexo feminino e 24 do masculino, com idades variando de 11 a 50 anos, com média de 30,8 anos. Sessenta e cinco pacientes foram reoperados, sendo que em 18 ocasiões realizou-se outra comissurotomia, em um fez-se a revascularização, em um substituição da valva tricúspide; em 45 vezes a valva foi substituída (43 próteses biológicas e duas metálicas). O tempo médio entre a primeira e a segunda cirurgias foi de 13,6 anos. Não houve óbitos na reoperação. Trinta e cinco pacientes continuam em evolução da primeirs cirurgia, com um tempo médio de 17,2 anos, com um mínimo de 14 anos e um máximo de 27 anos. Dez estão no grupo funcional I, 17 no II, sete no III e um no grupo IV. Desta forma, dos 100 pacientes iniciais, 52 ainda estão com suas valvas naturais, mostrando que, apesar de a evolução da doença poder levar a alterações nas valvas operadas, a comissurotomia mitral consegue uma boa evolução a longo prazo.To evaluate a longterm evolution of patients who were submitted to an open mitral commissurotomy, we studied 100 patients who were operated upon between 1962 and 1975. They have had follow-up in the Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia for the minimum of 14 years. Sixty-six were women and 24 were men. Their ages ranged from 11 to 50 years, and the media was 30.8 years. Sixty-five patients were reoperated and 18 of them were submitted to a new commissurotomy; in one a revascularization was done; in one the replacement of tricuspide valve; and in 45 times the valve was replaced (43 biological prosthesis and 2 metalics). The medium time among he first and the second surgery was 13.6 years. There wasn't any death among the reoperations. Thirty five patients keep in evolution of the first surgery, the medium time is 17.2 years (minimun 14 years and maximum 27 years). Ten are in the NYHA functional class I, 17 in II, seven in III and one in class IV. After this time of evolution, 52 patients are with their natural valves, showing good evolution of the mitral commissurotomy