Off pump coronary artery bypass versus mitral annuloplasty in moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation

To compare the outcomes of isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) to those of mitral annuloplasty (MAP) with revascularization in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR).

Between April 2001 and December 2009, 140 patients with moderate ischemic MR who underwent isolated OPCAB (OPCAB group, n = 77) or MAP with revascularization (MAP group, n = 63) were analyzed.

Freedom from cardiac-related death at eight years was similar between groups (78.4 ± 5.5%, the OPCAB group versus 81.5 ± 5.9%, the MAP group, p = 0.297). In patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%, the MAP group were similar to the OPCAB group in freedom from recurrent MR at eight years (85.7± 10.0% versus 84.9 ± 8.3%, p = 0.738), but a significant difference was found in patients with LVEF ≤40% (93.5± 4.5%, the MAP group versus 36.9 ± 18.4%, the OPCAB group, p = 0.013). On multivariate analysis, emergency operation and low LVEF were predictive of recurrent MR.

Concomitant MAP was more effective against recurrent MR than was OPCAB alone, in patients with LVEF ≤40%. We suggest that MAP should be considered in moderate ischemic MR with low LVEF.