“Postoperative Changes in Left Ventricular Systolic Function after
Combined Mitral and Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients with Rheumatic
Heart Disease” Sang-Mee An, Jae-Sik Nam et al
Abstract
It is an elegant albeit limited study reporting effects of pre op LVEF
on long term results in patients with RHD undergoing DVR. Study
includes146 pqtients out of 201 who underwent DVR in the study period.
Although all had some improvement immediate post op, those with
preserved EF and smaller left ventricles regardless of type of
prostheses used, surgical techniques ( partial or full Sub-valvular
Apparatus Preservation), had more sustained improvement after 3-4 years
than those with lower EF and more dilation . It can be partially
explained by more prevalence of aortic insufficiency in patients with
pre op lower EF <50 and dilation ( average LVESD 49 mm vs 32
mm in EF >50). There are myocardial factors which also play
a part , those with abnormal LV function have more extensive loss of
myofibrils either due to disproportion of mitochondria-to-myofibril
ratio or myofibrillar degeneration exhibiting the extent RHD involves
myocardium. Structural adaptation may not all be just a result of
hemodynamic abnormalities in these patients (1). The recommendation that
surgical intervention should occur before the LV starts to dilate or EF
drops is well founded and would be impactful in the developing world, an
estimated 250,000 deaths occur annually worldwide and 10.5 million
disability adjusted life years due to RHD, mostly in young people.