Very Long Term Follow-Up After Percutaneous Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty

The aim of this study was to assess very long term outcomes after successful percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV).

PBMV remains the preferred treatment for patients with severe symptomatic rheumatic mitral stenosis and suitable anatomy.

All consecutive patients who underwent successful PBMV between 1987 and 2010 were included. The primary endpoint was the composite of all-cause mortality, need for mitral surgery, or repeat PBMV up to 23 years.

Among all 1,582 consecutive patients undergoing PBMV, acute success was achieved in 90.9% (n = 1,438). Independent predictors of acute success included left atrial size (odds ratio: 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93 to 0.99; p = 0.045), Wilkins score ≤8 (odds ratio: 1.66; 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.93; p = 0.02) and age (odds ratio: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96 to 0.99; p = 0.006). Very long term follow-up (median 8.3 years, mean 15.6 years) was obtained in 79.1% of successful cases. The incidence of the primary endpoint was 19.1% (95% CI: 17.0% to 21.1%). The rates of overall mortality, need for mitral valve surgery, or repeat PBMV were 0.6% (95% CI: 0.3% to 1.2%), 8.3% (95% CI: 7.0% to 9.9%), and 10.0% (95% CI: 8.5% to 11.7%), respectively. On multivariate analysis, New York Heart Association functional class III or IV (hazard ratio: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.26 to 2.09; p < 0.001), higher age (hazard ratio: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96 to 0.98; p = 0.028), and mitral valve area ≤1.75 cm² after the procedure (hazard ratio: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.28 to 2.11; p = 0.028) were independent predictors of the primary endpoint.

In very long term follow-up, more than 75% of patients exhibited sustained results. Prediction of late favorable results is multifactorial and strongly determined by age, previous symptoms and post-procedural mitral valve area.