[Variability of heart auscultation in patients with mitral valve prolapse]

The aim of the study was to analyze the auscultatory findings and its variability in 84 patients (pts) with mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS) who were examined in the different body positions. All the pts underwent the echocardiographical examination and in 32 subjects (38%) prolapse of the anterior mitral leaflet was found, in 40 pts (48%) prolapse of the posterior mitral leaflet and in 12 (14%) pts prolapse of the both mitral leaflets. The auscultation of the heart was done in the supine position, in the lying position on the left side and in the upright position of the patient's body. Characteristic for the mitral valve prolapse (MVP) auscultatory findings (midsystolic murmur, late-systolic murmur and/or mid-systolic "non ejection" click) were demonstrated by 43 pts (51%) in the supine position. During the auscultation in the lying position of the pts on the left side, the auscultatory findings were found in 57 pts (68%) while in the upright position in 64 pts with MVPS (76%). The study showed that the auscultatory findings in pts with MVPS were demonstrated more frequently in the lying position of the body on the left side or in the upright position compared with the supine position. Moreover we found that 20 pts with MVPS (24%) did not demonstrate the characteristic auscultatory findings of MVP.