Valvular heart disease: tricuspid regurgitation is the new frontier

Epidemiologic Profile of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease in Korea: A Nationwide Hospital-Based Registry Study

BACKGROUND

Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a common cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide; however, its epidemiological profile in Korea requires elucidation.

METHODS

In this nationwide retrospective cohort study from the Korean valve survey, which collected clinical and echocardiographic data on VHD from 45 medical centers, we identified 4,089 patients with VHD between September and October 2019.

RESULTS

The aortic valve was the most commonly affected valve (n = 1,956 [47.8%]), followed by the mitral valve (n = 1,598 [39.1%]) and tricuspid valve (n = 1,172 [28.6%]). There were 1,188 cases of aortic stenosis (AS) and 926 cases of aortic regurgitation. The most common etiology of AS was degenerative disease (78.9%). The proportion of AS increased with age and accounted for the largest proportion of VHD in patients aged 80-89 years. There were 1,384 cases of mitral regurgitation (MR) and 244 cases of mitral stenosis (MS). The most common etiologies for primary and secondary MR were degenerative disease (44.3%) and non-ischemic heart disease (63.0%), respectively, whereas rheumatic disease (74.6%) was the predominant cause of MS. There were 1,172 tricuspid regurgitation (TR) cases, of which 46.9% were isolated and 53.1% were associated with other valvular diseases, most commonly with MR. The most common type of TR was secondary (90.2%), while primary accounted for 6.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

This report demonstrates the current epidemiological status of VHD in Korea. The results of this study can be used as fundamental data for developing Korean guidelines for VHD.

Global epidemiology of valvular heart disease

Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a major contributor to loss of physical function, quality of life and longevity. The epidemiology of VHD varies substantially around the world, with a predominance of functional and degenerative disease in high-income countries, and a predominance of rheumatic heart disease in low-income and middle-income countries. Reflecting this distribution, rheumatic heart disease remains by far the most common manifestation of VHD worldwide and affects approximately 41 million people. By contrast, the prevalence of calcific aortic stenosis and degenerative mitral valve disease is 9 and 24 million people, respectively. Despite a reduction in global mortality related to rheumatic heart disease since 1900, the death rate has remained fairly static since 2000. Meanwhile, deaths from calcific aortic stenosis have continued to rise in the past 20 years. Epidemiological data on other important acquired and congenital forms of VHD are limited. An ageing population and advances in therapies make an examination of the changing global epidemiology of VHD crucial for advances in clinical practice and formulation of health policy. In this Review, we discuss the global burden of VHD, geographical variation in the presentation and clinical management, and temporal trends in disease burden.

Transcatheter edge-to-edge tricuspid repair for recurrence of valvular regurgitation after left ventricular assist device and tricuspid ring implantation

Tricuspid regurgitation in patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has a significant impact on prognosis and quality of life, and its effects on liver and renal function could negatively impact planned heart transplantation. The aim of the present case is to report the feasibility and the clinical impact of tricuspid transcatheter edge‐to‐edge repair in LVAD patients as adjunctive bridge to transplantation strategy. A 59‐year‐old female patient previously treated with LVAD implantation (HeartMate III) and tricuspid valve repair with 32 mm rigid ring (Medtronic Contour 3D) as bridge to transplantation developed recurrence of significant tricuspid regurgitation with right ventricular decompensation needing inotropic support. Preoperative echo showed torrential tricuspid valve regurgitation Effective regurgitant orifice area(EROA 1.4 cm²) with suspicious of partial detachment of the prosthetic ring. The patient was successfully treated with transcatheter edge‐to‐edge repair with the MitraClip XTR device. Tricuspid regurgitation was reduced by 50% (postoperative EROA 0.7 cm²). She remained stable under continuous inotropic support with no other episodes of right ventricular decompensation and was successfully transplanted 30 days after the clipping procedure. Transcatheter treatment of tricuspid regurgitation in a patient with LVAD was an effective strategy to gain time and bridge the patient to heart transplantation.