Atrial-secondary tricuspid regurgitation: a better prognosis in early stage heart failure, but not in late stage

Abstract

Background and Aims

Although the classification of secondary tricuspid regurgitation (STR) by atrial or ventricular aetiology (A-STR or V-STR) carries prognostic importance, the confounding effects of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class have not yet been elucidated. We aimed to correlate STR and NYHA classification with patient outcomes.

Methods

We studied 281 patients with severe STR who presented to 16 French hospitals between 2017 and 2019. Patients were separated into A-STR and V-STR categories using echocardiographic criteria (A-STR = tricuspid tenting height ≤10 mm, right mid-ventricular diameter ≤38 mm, and LVEF ≥ 50%). We tracked time to cardiovascular disease-related hospitalization or death, whichever came first.

Results

Of the patients 91/281 (32.7%) had A-STR, 164/281 (58.4%) had mixed/V-STR, and 25/281 (8.9%) could not be classified. Baseline age, labs, comorbidities and NYHA category (Class I–II = mildly symptomatic, Class III–IV = very symptomatic) did not differ between groups (P > 0.05). Although there were no differences in event-free survival among groups (70.7% vs. 65.9%, P = 0.59), this was confounded by NYHA class (P = 0.0104). Thus, among mildly symptomatic patients, estimated 5 year event-free survival was 76.4% in the A-STR group and 53.2% in the mixed/V-STR group (P < 0.05). Among very symptomatic patients, there was no difference in estimated event-free survival (39.4% vs. 17.2%, P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Though A-STR carries a more favourable prognosis in mildly symptomatic patients, this distinction is irrelevant in patients with advanced disease. Thus, the value of tricuspid valve intervention may become ‘too little, too late’ if A-STR is not promptly addressed.