ABSTRACT
Current study was designed to determine the important predictors of immediate and late [3 months] outcome of PBMV [percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty]. The study was conducted on 49 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis undergoing PBMV using Inoue Balloon technique. They were subjected to: clinical evaluation, echocardiographic study the day before, 24 hours and 3 months after PBMV, and cardiac catheterization study immediately before and after the procedure. A simple comparison of mean values of data showed that patients with optimal results [> 75% increase in mitral valve area, MVA] had smaller pre-PBMV MVA, higher systolic pulmonary artery pressure, better leaflet mobility and younger age. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that better leaflet mobility and higher diastolic pulmonary artery pressure are the most important predictors for percentage of change in MVA 24 hours after PBMV. Leaflet thickness was only weak predictor for PBMV outcome, while total echocardiographic score, valve calcification and subvalvular disease were not. After 3 months, the subvalvular disease and low left atrial pressure were the most important predictors for the percentage of change of MVA. Hence, although echocardiographic mitral valve morphology is very useful in pre-PBMV evaluation of patients, it should not be used alone in the selection of cases for this procedure