Invasive assessment of mitral regurgitation: comparison of hemodynamic parameters.

Objectives: We sought to analyze several new hemodynamic characteristics which address the interplay of left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) pressures, as well as to re-analyze several other V wave characteristics employed in the determination of mitral regurgitation (MR) severity in order to determine which, if any, had adequate correlation with grade of MR for clinical utility.

Background: Invasive assessment of mitral regurgitation includes analysis of intracardiac pressures and LV angiography. The V wave, when obtained from the pulmonary capillary wedge position (PCWP), and its various characteristics are believed to be of limited value for prediction of MR severity.

Method: We analyzed the transeptal pressure tracings of patients with various degrees of MR. Several relationships from the simultaneous pressure-time curves of the LA and LV were defined. Biplane left ventricular angiography was used to grade MR. Correlation between each parameter and MR grade was determined by calculating a Pearson correlation coefficient.

Results: The ratio of the area under the V wave to the LV systolic area (V(a)/LV(a)) best correlates with the degree of MR with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.60. The V(a)/LV(a) was significantly lower in patients with 0-1+ MR compared to > or =2+ MR (0.14 vs. 0.23 p = 0.002).

Conclusions: Invasive hemodynamic assessment of MR severity could be enhanced by calculating our new ratio, V(a)/LV(a), due to its ability to account for LV work that is lost to the LA with a proportional decrease in forward or useful LV work with progressively increasing severity of MR.