title: The effects of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty on the left atrial appendage function in patients with sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mitral stenosis (MS) causes structural and functional abnormalities of the left atrium (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA), and studies show that LAA performance improves within a short time after percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC). This study aimed to investigate the effects of PTMC on left atrial function by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 56 patients with severe mitral stenosis (valve area less than 1.5 CM(2)). All participants underwent mitral valvuloplasty; they also underwent transesophageal echocardiography before and at least one month after PTMC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Underlying heart rhythm was sinus rhythm (SR) in 28 patients and atrial fibrillation (AF) in remainder 28 cases. There was no significant change in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD), or the left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVESD) before and after PTMC in both groups. However, both groups showed a significant decrease in the left atrial volume index (LAVI) following PTMC (P=0.032 in SR and P=0.015 in AF group). LAA ejection fraction (LAAEF) and the LAA emptying velocity (LAAEV) were improved significantly after PTMC in both groups with SR and AF (P<0.001 for both).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy improves left atrial appendage function in patients with mitral stenosis irrespective of the underlying heart rhythm.
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Naser
authors: N
authors: Aslanabadi
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Iraj
authors: I
authors: Jafaripour
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Mehrnoush
authors: M
authors: Toufan
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Bahram
authors: B
authors: Sohrabi
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Ahmad
authors: A
authors: Separham
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Madadi
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Feazpour
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Yosef
authors: Y
authors: Asgharzadeh
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Mostafa
authors: M
authors: Ahmadi
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty Health, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Abdolrasol
authors: A
authors: Safaiyan
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Samad
authors: S
authors: Ghafari
keywords: Atrial Appendage; Atrial Function; Balloon Valvuloplasty