Acute phase reactants predict mitral regurgitation following mitral valvuloplasty

This report evaluated whether acute phase reactants can predict the development of mitral regurgitation following percutaneous mitral valvotomy. 58 patients who developed significant mitral regurgitation following valvotomy were retrospectively compared with 58 age, sex and procedure technique matched control patients, who had valvotomy without mitral regurgitation. ESR and total leucocyte count were significantly higher in the group who developed mitral regurgitation, than in the control group. Higher ESR and total leucocyte count may be indicative of ongoing low grade sub-clinical inflammatory process, which makes the valve tissue friable which can give way during balloon stretch and lead onto mitral regurgitation.