Effect of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme-a reductase inhibitors on the long-term progression of rheumatic mitral valve disease.
BACKGROUND
At present, no medical therapy is known to affect the progression of rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS). We sought to assess the effect of statin treatment on long-term progression of MS in a large population.


RESULTS
From our 20-year database, we identified all patients with rheumatic MS with > or =2 echocardiographies > or =1 year apart. Exclusion criteria were previous intervention on the mitral valve, more than moderate aortic regurgitation, or symptoms at first examination. The study sample included 315 patients (mean age, 61+/-12 years; 224 women); 35 patients (11.1%) were treated with statins, and 280 (88.9%) were not. Mean follow-up period was 6.1+/-4.0 years (range, 1 to 20). The rate of decrease in mitral valve area was significantly lower in the statin group compared with the untreated group (0.027+/-0.056 versus 0.067+/-0.082 cm(2)/y; P=0.005). The annualized change in mean transmitral gradient was lower in statin-treated patients (0.20+/-0.59 versus 0.58+/-0.96 mm Hg/y; P=0.023). The prevalence of fast MS progression (annual change in mitral valve area >0.08 cm(2)) was significantly lower in the statin group (P=0.008). An increase in systolic pulmonary artery pressure of >10 mm Hg was found in 17% of patients in the statin group versus 40% of untreated patients (P=0.045).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows a significantly slower progression of rheumatic MS in patients treated with statins. These findings could have an important impact in the early medical therapy of patients with rheumatic heart disease.
Antonini-Canterin
Francesco
F
Cardiologia, ARC, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Maria degli Angeli, Via Montereale, 24, 33170 Pordenone, Italy. antonini.canterin@gmail.com
Moura
Luis M
LM
Enache
Roxana
R
Leiballi
Elisa
E
Pavan
Daniela
D
Piazza
Rita
R
Popescu
Bogdan A
BA
Ginghina
Carmen
C
Nicolosi
Gian Luigi
GL
Rajamannan
Nalini M
NM
D000368:Aged; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D018450:Disease Progression; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors