title: Pre-operative atrial fibrillation as the key determinant of outcome of mitral valve repair for degenerative mitral regurgitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the impact of pre-operative atrial fibrillation (AF) on the outcome of mitral valve repair (MVR) for degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 392 patients with moderate to severe MR who underwent MVR between 1991 and 2002, 283 patients with isolated degenerative MR were followed for 4.7+/-3.3 years. Of 27 deaths, nine were due to cardioembolic events and four were due to left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. When compared with patients with pre-operative AF, those with sinus rhythm (SR) had better survival (96+/-2.1 vs. 87+/-3.2% at 5 years, P=0.002) and higher cardiac event-free rates (96+/-2.0 vs. 75+/-4.4% at 5 years, P<0.001). In patients with pre-operative SR, observed and expected survival were similar (P=0.811). Cox multivariable regression analysis confirmed AF [P=0.027, adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 2.9] and age as independently predictive of survival, and AF (P=0.002, AHR 3.1), New York Heart Association Class, and LV fractional shortening as independently predictive of cardiac event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Death due to LV dysfunction was not frequent and cardioembolic events due to AF were the leading cause for cardiac death. Pre-operative AF became a strong independent predictor of survival and morbidity. Patients with pre-operative SR had excellent prognosis. The benefits of preventing cardioembolic events due to AF validate the indication of MVR for patients with high risk for AF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sakakibara Heart Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kosei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ohtaki
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tohbaru
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Misu
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagayama
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumiyoshi
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kasegawa
authors.forename: Saichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosoda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality