MITRAL REGURGITATION IN PATIENTS WITH MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE

Objective: To determine the frequency, severity and gender distribution of mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and effect of severity of MR on the left heart chambers enlargement.Material and Methods: Echocardiography reports of patients from June 2003 to July 2006 were retrospectively searched for presence of MVP from the computerized database of Cardiology department, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. Demographic details and findings of comprehensive echocardiographic examination, including M-mode echocardiography, 2-dimensional echocardiography, and conventional and color Doppler ultrasonography conducted by experienced echocardiographers were recorded.Results: Out of 25,303 echocardiography examinations performed in the period, 1073 (4.24%) patients had MVP with mean age of 26 + 14 years. Males were 585(54.52%) and females were 488(45.48%). MR was found in 444/1073 (41.37%) patients of which 211 (47.53%) were males and 233 (52.47%) were females. Overall MVP was more common in males however MVP with MR was more common in females. In patients of MVP having MR, mild, moderate and severe MR was noted in 312(70.3%), 54 (12.2%) and 78 (17.5%) patients respectively. In patients with MVP having severe MR, the mean LV end diastolic diameter was 6.94+0.93 cm, mean LV end systolic diameter was 4.13+0.75 cm and mean left atrial diameter was 5.56+1.12 cm.Conclusion: With no significant changes in gender distribution of MVP, a high proportion of patients with MVP have associated MR. Severity of MR in patients with MVP had significant effect on enlargement of left heart chambers.