title: Clinical and echocardiographic features of mild mitral valve regurgitation in 108 horses.
abstract: The clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of 108 horses with echocardiographically confirmed mild mitral valve regurgitation (MR) were investigated along with its clinical progression. Follow-up consisted of a re-examination of 28 horses and questionnaires were used to obtain information on a further 43 cases. Thirty-seven horses with mild MR were lost to follow-up. Horses with mild MR were re-examined between 2 and 9 years (3.8+/-1.8 years) following first presentation, with mild MR still present and a small, but statistically significant (P=0.049) increase of left ventricular diameter in end-diastole. These results suggested that mild MR has a good mid-term prognosis in sport and pleasure horses.
authors.affiliation: Equine Hospital, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty of the University of Berne, 3012 Berne, Switzerland. alexandra.imhasly@knp.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imhasly
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Tschudi
authors.forename: Christoph W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lombard
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gerber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000662:veterinary*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires