ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Our objective was to review the long-term prognosis of patients with preoperative mild to moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We prospectively followed 1,000 consecutive and systematic off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting patients who were operated on between September 1996 and March 2004; follow-up was achieved for 97%. Sixty-seven patients (6.7%) had mild to moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation at the time of surgery. Operative mortality, actuarial survival and major adverse cardiac event free survival were compared to assess the effect of ischemic mitral regurgitation. RESULT: Average follow-up was 66+/-22 months. Patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation were older (p<0.001), had lower ejection fractions (p<0.001) and more comorbidities. Significantly more female patients presented with ischemic mitral regurgitation (p=0.002). There was no significant difference in operative mortality and perioperative myocardial infarction in ischemic mitral regurgitation patients (p=0.25). Eight-year survival was decreased in ischemic mitral regurgitation patients (39.6+/-11.8% vs 76.7+/-2.2%, p<0.001). However, after correcting for risk factors, mild to moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation was not found to be a significant independent risk factor for long-term mortality (p=0.42). Major adverse cardiac event free survival at 8 years was significantly lower in ischemic mitral regurgitation patients (53+/-12% vs 77+/-2%, p<0.001). After correction for risk factors, ischemic mitral regurgitation remained a significant independent cause of major adverse cardiac events (HR: 2.31), especially congestive heart failure and recurrent myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: In our series, patients with preoperative mild to moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation had a higher prevalence of preoperative risk factors than patients without ischemic mitral regurgitation. They had comparable perioperative mortality and morbidity, but, in the long term, were found to be at elevated risk for recurrent cardiac events.