Isolated chronic mitral regurgitation with preserved systolic left ventricular function and severe pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension in chronic mitral valve disease has been related most commonly to left ventricular dysfunction or mitral stenosis; its association with chronic, isolated mitral regurgitation and preserved left ventricular systolic function is unclear. In 41 catheterized patients with chronic mitral regurgitation (known history of mitral regurgitation for greater than 18 months) and preserved left ventricular systolic function (ejection fraction greater than 0.55), historic, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic and hemodynamic variables were analyzed. Ten patients (Group I) had normal pulmonary artery systolic pressure (less than 30 mm Hg), whereas 31 patients had pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure was mildly increased (30 to 49 mm Hg) in 13 patients (Group II) and was greater than or equal to 50 mm Hg in 18 patients (Group III). Univariate analysis showed the more frequent occurrence of male gender and ruptured chordae tendineae in the groups with pulmonary hypertension. Mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, size of the V wave in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and pulmonary arteriole resistance were higher, whereas cardiac index was lower in the hypertension groups. Multivariate stepwise analysis revealed higher mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and pulmonary arteriole resistance as the only variables independently differing among groups. In conclusion, pulmonary hypertension occurs frequently (76% of cases) in patients with chronic, isolated mitral regurgitation with preserved left ventricular systolic function. In these patients, a severe increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure is associated with elevation in pulmonary artery resistance, a finding similar to that in mitral stenosis.