Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
Vol.27 No.6 2011 (275-279)

Toshimasa Nakada

Department of Pediatrics, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan

Abstract

Background: Although the outcome in children with idiopathic mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is generally excellent, some patients grow to adulthood with moderate to severe mitral valve regurgitation (MR) as imaged by two-dimensional Doppler echocardiogram (2DD).
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted regarding the changes in MR grade in 19 children whose MR grade was evaluated by 2DD both at first diagnosis of MVP and at follow-up evaluation. Furthermore, using the last 2DD, a comparative study was conducted between the children with moderate to severe MR (group A) and those without moderate to severe MR (group B).
Results: The median age at first diagnosis of MVP was 9 years and 3 months (range, 2 years and 1 month-18 years); the median follow-up period was 3 years and 9 months (range, 7 months-14 years and 2 months). Prevalence of moderate to severe MR on the last 2DD was 57% vs 8% (p=0.038) between 7 children with moderate to severe MR at first diagnosis of MVP and 12 patients without moderate to severe MR, respectively. The prevalence of moderate to severe MR at first diagnosis of MVP was 80% vs 21% (p=0.038) between the patients in groups A and B, respectively.
Conclusion: It is suggested that moderate to severe MR at first diagnosis of MVP could be a predictive factor for poor outcome in children.