[Airway function disturbances reversibility after mitral valve replacement]

Dyspnea, cough, recurrent airway infection, hemoptysis are the most common pulmonary symptoms of mitral valve disease and heart failure. Pathophysiological mechanism of those disturbances is complex and airway status is one of the most important. The aim of the study was to assess airway function disturbances reversibility after mitral valve replacement. The study group consisted of 30 patients qualified to mitral valve surgery. Patients were assessed by clinical cardiac noninvasive investigation and airway function study. Post-operative study was performed minimum 6 months after mitral valve replacement (mean after 8 months) and again after minimum 3 years (mean after 40 months). In most of assessed--22 patients (74%) airway obstruction was noticed, in 8 patients without obstruction nonspecific histamine provocation test was performed. Increased airway reactivity was found in 4 patients only, in another 4 patients (13%) there was no airway function disturbances. After mitral valve replacement significant improvement in all cardiac parameters including NYHA functional class was observed. No airway function improvement occurred. Only small tendency to improve airway function was noticed as far as it concerns VC, FEV1, MEF50, MEF75 iTGV with exclusion of Raw. Analysis after dividing study group into 3 subgroups with increasing airway function disturbances (from predicted to hyperreactivity and obstruction) was also performed. The improvement in airways function was noticed only in 6 patient (20% studied). In patients with mitral valve disease airway function disturbances as obstruction and bronchial hyperreactivity persist in long term follow-up after mitral valve replacement.