Immediate, early and mid-term outcomes following balloon mitral valvotomy in patients having severe rheumatic mitral stenosis with significant tricuspid regurgitation

Background: The study examined the influence of significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) on the immediate, early and mid-term outcomes of patients with severe mitral stenosis (MS) undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV). Methods: Among the 818 consecutive patients who underwent elective BMV in this institute from 1997 to 2003, 114 had significant TR. After propensity score–matched analysis, the data of 93 patients with significant TR were compared with the data of 93 patients who had no significant TR at the baseline. Outcomes were assessed immediately, at 1 year (early) and at 5 years (mid-term) after BMV. Results: Patients with significant TR presented more frequently with NYHA class III–IV status, atrial fibrillation (AF), severe pulmonary hypertension (PH), advanced mitral valve disease as assessed by echocardiographic score > 8, and with history of previous BMV. After propensity score–matched analysis, it was found that the immediate procedural success (54.8% vs. 58.1%, P = 0.650), immediate in-hospital events and prevalence of AF and heart failure at 1 year of follow-up were comparable between the two groups. At 5 years after BMV, the significant TR group had higher prevalence of heart failure and AF, greater attrition in mitral valve area (MVA) and higher pulmonary artery (PA) pressure. Conclusions: Significant TR identifies a sicker patient population with MS. Even though patients with significant TR have comparable immediate and early outcomes after BMV, they have poor outcomes on mid-term follow-up. Longer follow-up with more patients is needed to assess survival aspect of TR on patients undergoing BMV and also to look at the need for interventions to address the significant TR, apart from the mitral valve interventions.