Regression of left ventricular mass after mitral valve repair of pure mitral regurgitation

To evaluate the effect of mitral valve repair on the regression of left ventricular mass, we studied 50 consecutive patients with severe, pure mitral regurgitation undergoing mitral valve repair. Two-dimensional echocardiograms were recorded a mean 2.5 ± 2.0 weeks before and 6.5 ± 2.5 months after valve operation. Postoperative significant mitral regurgitation was present in 3 patients. After mitral valve repair there were significant decreases in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (133 ± 39 mL/m2 to 79 ± 35 mL/m2; p < 0.001), end-systolic volume index (44 ± 26 mL/m2 to 30 ± 26 mL/m2; p < 0.001), stroke volume index (89 ± 29 mL/m2 to 49 ± 19 mL/m2; p < 0.001), and mass index (211 ± 82 g/m2 to 134 ± 52 g/m2; p < 0.001). There also were significant decreases in left atrial dimension (47 ± 9 mm to 38 ± 9 mm; p < 0.001), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (61 ± 8 mm to 48 ± 7 mm; p < 0.001), and end-systolic dimension (39 ± 8 mm to 32 ± 7 mm; p < 0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction decreased slightly from 0.69 ± 0.12 to 0.64 ± 0.12; p < 0.01) after repair. Thus, correction of pure mitral regurgitation leads to reduction of the cardiac chamber size and left ventricular volumes as well as regression of the left ventricular mass.