[Mitral valve prolapse. An echocardiographic study of 456 cases]

The prolapse of the mitral valve is an affection arousing much interest from the clinical and echocardiographical viewpoints. The present paper reports on the analysis of 456 cases (322 women--70% and 134 men--29.39%), suffering from prolapse of the mitral valve, selected out of 15,714 echocardiographic examinations (2.93%). All the patients were examined echocardiographically--Echo) in the M mode and bidimensionally; 256 cases underwent an Echo-Doppler examination, too and in 90 cases the phonocardiogram was also used. 983 cases were diagnosed as clinically suffering from prolapse, confirmed by Echo in 291 cases (29.62%), and in 165 cases the diagnosis was established only clinically. Phonocardiographically, the most frequent were recorded the mesotelesystolic click (40%), followed by click + holosystolic murmur (31.11%), telesystolic murmur (19.70%), holosystolic murmur (6.66%). The prolapse of the mitral valve was evidenced in 394 cases, both by M-Echo and by 2D-Echo; in 28 (6.1%) cases it was evidenced only by M-Echo, and in 34 cases (7.4%) only by 2D-Echo. In 62 cases (13.4%) the prolapse was better evidenced when the patients stood. The most affected was the anterior mitral valve, 203 cases (44.5%). The conclusion was drawn that the prevalence of the prolapse of the mitral valve is of 2.93% according to the Echo examination. A correct diagnosis requires the use of a rigorous examination technique and the observance of the clinical and Echo diagnosis criteria.