Impact of left atrial compliance improvement on functional status after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty

Conventional hemodynamic parameters may not accurately predict symptomatic improvement after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV). Changes in left heart chamber compliance following adequate relief o0066 mitral stenosis (MS) may be useful in determining functional capacity after PMV. This study aims to determine the acute effects of PMV on compliance of the left heart and whether its changes relate to the patient's functional capacity.

One-hundred thirty-seven patients with severe MS undergoing PMV were enrolled. Left atrial (C_a ) and left ventricular (C_v ) compliance were invasively estimated and net atrioventricular compliance (C_av ) was calculated before and immediately after the procedure. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were obtained before and 24 hr after the procedure. The primary endpoint was functional status at 6-month follow-up, and the secondary endpoint was a composite of death, mitral valve (MV) replacement, repeat PMV, new onset of atrial fibrillation, or stroke in patients in whom PMV was successful.

The mean age was 43 ± 12 years, and 119 patients were female (87%). After PMV, C_a and C_av improved significantly from 5.3 [IQR 3.2-8.2] mL/mmHg to 8.7 [5.3-19.2] mL/mmHg (P < 0.001) and 2.2 [1.6-3.4] to 2.8 [2.1-4.1] mL/mmHg (P < 0.001), respectively, whereas C_v did not change (4.6 [3.2-6.8] to 4.4 [3.1-5.6]; P = 0.637). Plasma BNP levels significantly decreased after PMV, with no correlation between its variation and changes in left chamber compliance. At 6-month follow-up, NYHA functional class remained unchanged in 32 patients (23%). By multivariable analyses, changes in C_a immediately after PMV (adjusted OR 1.42; 95% CI 95% 1.02 to 1.97; P = 0.037) and younger age (adjusted OR 0.95; CI 95% 0.92-0.98; P = 0.004), predicted improvement in functional capacity at 6-month follow-up, independent of postprocedural data. The secondary endpoint were predicted by post-PMV mean gradient (adjusted HR 1.363; 95% CI 95% 1.027-1.809; P = 0.032), and lack of functional improvement at 6-month follow-up (adjusted HR 4.959; 95% 1.708-14.403; P = 0.003).

C_a and C_av increase significantly after PMV with no change in C_v . The improvement of C_a is an important predictor of functional status at 6-month follow up, independently of other hemodynamic data. Postprocedural mean gradient and lack of short-term symptomatic improvement were predictors of adverse outcome.