Percutaneous repair of mitral valve regurgitation in patients with severe heart failure: comparison with optimal medical treatment.

BACKGROUND: Occurrence of severe mitral valve (MV) regurgitation (MR) is an independent negative predictor of mortality in patients with severe systolic heart failure (HF). This study examines clinical effects and cardiac reverse remodelling in patients with severe systolic HF receiving percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) using MitraClip in comparison to patients receiving optimal medical therapy only. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2014, 86 patients (Society of Thoracic Surgeons score: 10.5% ± 1.2%) with severe HF (left ventricular [LV] ejection fraction; LVEF: 25% ± 2%; LV endsystolic diameter [LVESD]: 55 ± 3 mm) and severe MR received PMVR using MitraClip. Cardiac reverse remodelling and clinical parameters were compared to HF patients with severe MR (from our HF outpatient clinic; n = 69; LVEF: 26% ± 1.4%; LVESD: 53 ± 2 mm) receiving optimal medical therapy (OMT) only. All patients received stable OMT and were characterised by echocardiography, 6-minwalk-distance test and cardiac biomarkers within a 24 months observation period. RESULTS: PMVR in patients with end-stage HF and severe MR resulted in reduction of MR and significant additional cardiac reverse remodelling (LVEF: 26 ± 1.4 vs. 33% ± 2%, p < .05; LVESD: 53 ± 2 vs. 47 ± 2 mm, p < .05) over the 24 months observation period as compared to pharmacologically-only managed comparators. CONCLUSIONS: Both OMT and PMVR cause cardiac reverse remodelling and relief of symptoms in patients with HF and severe MR. PMVR results in significant additional cardiac reverse remodelling compared to pharmacologically-only managed patients.

One year clinical efficacy and reverse cardiac remodelling in patients with severe mitral regurgitation and reduced ejection fraction after MitraClip implantation.

AIMS: The aim of the present study was to investigate 1 year clinical and functional efficacy of percutaneous mitral valve (MV) repair using MitraClip in high-risk surgical patients with symptomatic severe MV regurgitation (MR) and reduced LVEF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between September 2009 and November 2011, 59 patients with reduced EF and severe MR received endovascular MV repair using MitraClip. Patients were characterized after 1 and 12 months using echocardiography, 6 min walk test distance, and cardiac biomarkers. The predicted 30-day surgical perioperative mortality rate was 11.4 ±2.2% using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' score. Complete 1-year clinical follow-up was achieved in 70% of the patients (n = 41; EF 33 ±3%). Percutaneous MV repair resulted in significantly reduced MR and improved NYHA functional class, translating into significantly increased 6 min walk test distance, while high-sensitive troponin T (P < 0.05) and NT-proBNP (non-significant) were reduced. Echocardiography revealed structural reverse remodelling with significantly reduced left atrial volume and LV end-systolic diameter, as well as significantly increased LVEF. These results were consistent in a subgroup of patients with severely reduced LVEF (EF 23 ±2%; n = 25). Thirty-day mortality was 2.9%. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous MV repair using MitraClip is a safe technique in high-risk surgical patients, causing significant 1 year reduction of MR which results in structural cardiac reverse remodelling and an increased LVEF. The present data encourage percutaneous MV repair in heart failure patients.