title: Chronic mitral regurgitation--significance of the echocardiographic determinants in predicting severity.
abstract: The aim of study was to determine the significance of the best echocardiographic parameters for assessing the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 107 patients, mean age 52 +/- 7 y with chronic isolated non-ischaemic MR. Quantification of the MR was performed using echocardiography through the proximal isovelocity surface area method (regurgitant volume (RV) and the effective regurgitant orifice (ERO) were calculated) and the assessment of vena contracta width (VCW).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ROC curve analysis and Peto odds used to differentiate between the significant (III-IV grade) and non-significant (I-II grade) MR groups of patients indicated thatVCW, RV and ERO were the most powerful predictors of MR.The area under the ROC curve was 0.931, 0.944, 0.927, respectively.The cut-off values defining significant MR were: VCW > or =7 mm, RV > or =45 ml, ERO > or = 0.33 cm2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most powerful predictors of severe MR are VCW, ERO and RV.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, John Paul II Hospital, Kraków, Poland. alesniak@szpitaljp2.krakow.pl
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leśniak-Sobelga
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kostkiewicz
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olszowska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pieniazek
authors.forename: Wiesława
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tracz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole