[Relationship of mitral valve area to hemostatic condition in rheumatic mitral stenosis]

The influence of mitral valve area (MVA) on hemostatic conditions was assessed in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) without atrial thrombus who underwent percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV). The Doppler-derived MVA and hemostatic variables were obtained before and 2-3 months after PMV. Hemostatic tests included measurements of beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 levels as indexes of platelet activation, fibrinopeptide A and thrombin-antithrombin complex as markers of fibrin generation, and D-dimer and plasmin-alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor complex as indexes of active fibrinolysis. Thirty-three measurements in 17 MS patients were subdivided into three groups: group A, 16 samples when MVA was < 1.5 cm2, group B, 12 samples obtained when MVA was 1.5 - < 2.0 cm2, and group C, 5 samples obtained when MVA was > or = 2.0 cm2. The mean level of beta-thromboglobulin was significantly lower in group C (43.6 +/- 32.4 ng/ml) than in group A (142.5 +/- 132.5 ng/ml) or B (163.8 +/- 179.8 ng/ml) (p < 0.05). The incidence of abnormal beta-thromboglobulin was also significantly lower in group C (20%) than in group A (67%) or B (73%) (p < 0.05). Other mean values or incidence of abnormal values of other hemostatic parameters did not differ between the groups. The hemostatic change induced by PMV was examined in 15 MS patients with no change in cardiac rhythm after PMV therapy. The patients were divided into suboptimal (MVA widening < 0.5 cm2, n = 7) and optimal (> or = 0.5 cm2, n = 8) groups. No favorable hemostatic changes were achieved by PMV in the suboptimal group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)