[Mitral valve prolapse. An echocardiographic study of 456 cases].

Abstract

The prolapse of the mitral valve is an affection arousing much interest from the clinical and echocardiographical viewpoints. The present paper reports on the analysis of 456 cases (322 women--70% and 134 men--29.39%), suffering from prolapse of the mitral valve, selected out of 15,714 echocardiographic examinations (2.93%). All the patients were examined echocardiographically--Echo) in the M mode and bidimensionally; 256 cases underwent an Echo-Doppler examination, too and in 90 cases the phonocardiogram was also used. 983 cases were diagnosed as clinically suffering from prolapse, confirmed by Echo in 291 cases (29.62%), and in 165 cases the diagnosis was established only clinically. Phonocardiographically, the most frequent were recorded the mesotelesystolic click (40%), followed by click + holosystolic murmur (31.11%), telesystolic murmur (19.70%), holosystolic murmur (6.66%). The prolapse of the mitral valve was evidenced in 394 cases, both by M-Echo and by 2D-Echo; in 28 (6.1%) cases it was evidenced only by M-Echo, and in 34 cases (7.4%) only by 2D-Echo. In 62 cases (13.4%) the prolapse was better evidenced when the patients stood. The most affected was the anterior mitral valve, 203 cases (44.5%). The conclusion was drawn that the prevalence of the prolapse of the mitral valve is of 2.93% according to the Echo examination. A correct diagnosis requires the use of a rigorous examination technique and the observance of the clinical and Echo diagnosis criteria.