Effect of lesional differences in prolapsed leaflets on clinical outcomes in patients with mitral valve prolapse

BACKGROUND

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is usually benign, although serious complications may occur. It remains unclear whether the region of prolapsed mitral leaflets might affect prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate lesional differences of clinical courses of MVP.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We retrospectively investigated 128 MVP patients who had been followed up for for a mean of 56.4 months. They were classified into prolapse of the anterior mitral leaflet (AML, n = 59), posterior mitral leaflet (PML, n = 47), or both leaflets (AML & PML, n = 22). Echocardiographic and clinical data were examined from medical records. Average time to clinical events; MV surgery, new onset of atrial fibrillation (AF), echocardiographic evidence of new chordal rupture, and worsening of mitral regurgitation severity were all significantly shorter in PML prolapse than in those with AML or AML & PML prolapses. Increases in the left ventricular dimensions and estimated pulmonary arterial systolic pressures were significantly larger in PML prolapse, compared with AML or AML & PML prolapses. A subanalysis of PML prolapse revealed that new chordal rupture tended to be more frequent in middle scallop prolapse (48%) compared with lateral and medial scallops (18%). In contrast, new onset of AF tended to occur in lateral and medial scallop prolapses (44%) compared with middle scallop prolapse (20%).

CONCLUSIONS

PML prolapse patients had a poor outcome, compared with AML or AML & PML prolapse patients. Precise regional evaluation of the prolapsed leaflets may predict cardiac complications in MVP.

Evaluation of left ventricular systolic function in young adults with mitral valve prolapse

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate left ventricular function in young adults with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) without significant mitral regurgitation using two-dimensional strain imaging.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 58 asymptomatic young subjects (mean [± SD] age 19.7±1.6 years; 72% male) with MVP were compared with 60 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects. MVP was diagnosed by billowing one or both mitral leaflets >2 mm above the mitral annulus in the long-axis parasternal view. Longitudinal, radial and circumferential strain and strain rate were determined using speckle tracking with a grey-scale frame rate of 50 fps to 85 fps. There were no significant differences in the global systolic left ventricular function of the subjects with MVP compared with the control group. In the MVP group, most of the global myocardial systolic deformation indexes were not reduced. Only the global circumferential strain showed a decrease in the prolapse subjects. Regional, longitudinal, circumferential and radial strain and strain rate were decreased only in septal segments. A decrease in the rotation of the same septal segments at the basal level was also observed.

CONCLUSION

Regional septal myocardial deformation indexes decrease in subjects with MVP. These changes may be the first sign indicating the deterioration of left ventricular systolic function as well as the existence of primary cardiomyopathy in asymptomatic young subjects with MVP.

Aberrant right ventricular branch of right coronary artery with mitral valve prolapse

A 37-year-old man presented with a three-week history of chest pain. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a mitral valve prolapse and mild mitral insufficiency. Coronary angiography showed normal left main, circumflex, left anterior descending and right coronary arteries; however, the right ventricular branch of the right coronary artery had a separate ostium. Concomitant congenital heart abnormalities have been observed with coronary artery anomalies. Primary congenital coronary and valvular anomalies may have genetic heredity. In the present case, mitral valve prolapse was accompanied by a right ventricular coronary artery origin anomaly which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first report in the literature in which both anomalies presented together.

Mitral valve prolapse and mitral insufficiency in two siblings with Gaucher's disease

Gaucher's disease is an autosomal recessive storage disorder. We report two siblings with Gaucher's disease, both of which had mitral valve prolapse and mitral insufficiency. One of the siblings died of bacterial endocarditis and pneumonia, while the other continues under followup.