Frequency of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Having Mitral Valve Repair or Replacement for Pure Mitral Regurgitation Secondary to Mitral Valve Prolapse

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 97; no. 7; pp. 1039 - 1044
• Main Authors: Berbarie, Rafic Fouad, Roberts, William Clifford
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.04.2006; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Atrial Fibrillation - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiac dysrhythmias; Cardiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Electrocardiography; Endocardial and cardiac valvular diseases; Female; Heart; Heart surgery; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; Humans; Incidence; Male; Medical imaging; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mitral Valve Insufficiency - etiology; Mitral Valve Insufficiency - surgery; Mitral Valve Prolapse - complications; Retrospective Studies; Sex Factors; Treatment Outcome; Human; Secondary; Mitral valve; Arrhythmia; Atrial fibrillation; Cardiovascular disease; Replacement; Phlebology; Excitability disorder; Mitral valve prolapse; Cardiac valvular disease; Mitral regurgitation; Frequency; Circulatory system; Cardiology; Mitral valve disease
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.11.024

Relatively little attention has been paid to the frequency of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) secondary to mitral valve prolapse (MVP). We reviewed clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and angiographic findings in 246 patients aged 21 to 84 years (mean 61) (66% men) who had mitral valve repair or replacement for MR secondary to MVP. Immediately before the mitral operation by electrocardiogram, only 37 patients (15%) had AF and the other 209 patients were in sinus rhythm. Of the latter, 32 had had a history of AF that had reverted to sinus rhythm spontaneously or with antiarrhythmic therapy. Thus, a total of 69 patients (28%) had AF at some time. In conclusion, the frequency of AF in patients with MR secondary to MVP and sick enough to warrant a mitral valve operation have a relatively low frequency of AF (persistent in 15%, paroxysmal in another 13%), percentages considerably lower than that seen in patients with mitral stenosis just before a mitral commissurotomy or replacement.