Echocardiographic predictors of left ventricular functional recovery following valve replacement surgery for severe aortic stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to identify the most sensitive echocardiographic measurements that predict recovery of left ventricular function following valve replacement surgery in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and LV dysfunction.


METHODS
We studied 66 patients (mean age 70+/-2 years, 53 male) who underwent AVR for severe AS with concurrent LV dysfunction between 1998 and 2003 at the Royal Brompton Hospital. Clinical symptoms, co-morbidities and echocardiographic measurements of LV function were recorded before and at a median follow-up of 46 months after AVR. Pre-operative LV systolic dysfunction was defined as LV ejection fraction (EF) <50% and the post-op LV recovery as an increase of EF >10%.


RESULTS
Following AVR peak aortic pressure gradient decreased and aortic valve area index increased (64+/-3 to 19+/-1 mm Hg and 0.30+/-0.01 to 0.89+/-0.03 cm(2)/m(2), p<0.001 for both). LV EF increased (from 45+/-1 to 54+/-2%; p<0.001) and the LV dimensions fell (LVEDD index: from 33+/-1 to 30+/-1 mm/m(2); and LVESD index: from 27+/-1 to 20+/-1 mm/m(2); p<0.01 for both). LV diastolic dysfunction improved as evidenced by the fall in E/A ratio (from 2.6+/-0.2 to 1.9+/-0.4) and prolongation of total filling time; (from 29.2+/-0.6 to 31.4+/-0.5 s/min, p=0.01 for both). Among all echocardiographic variables, LV dimensions (LVEDD index, OR 0.70, CI 0.52-0.97, p<0.05; LVESD index, OR 0.57, CI 0.40-0.85, p=0.005) were the two independent predictors of post-operative LV functional recovery on multivariate analysis. A cut off value of pre-operative LVESD index=or<27.5 mm/m(2) was 85% sensitive and 72% specific in predicting intermediate-term recovery of LV function after AVR (AUC, 0.72, p=0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
LV functional recovery was evident in majority of aortic stenotic patients with LV dysfunction after aortic valve replacement. A lower prevalence of LV functional recovery in patients with large pre-operative LV end systolic dimension index might signify the loss of contractile reserve and thus predict post-operative functional recovery.
Ding
Wen-hong
WH
Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Lam
Yat-yin
YY
Kaya
Mehmet G
MG
Li
Wei
W
Chung
Robin
R
Pepper
John R
JR
Henein
Michael Y
MY
D000368:Aged; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery