Seven variables predict probability of successful mitral valve repair

Assessing seven different variables before surgery can accurately predict the risk of an unsuccessful mitral valve repair. Researchers have devised a ‘scoring method’ using these variables which could assist cardiologists’ decisions when referring patients.

Researchers at Bern University Hospital, Switzerland extracted clinical data from all mitral valve surgeries performed over 50 months, and combined the data with different echocardiographic variables. Almost 30% of the procedures were mitral valve replacements.

The team identified seven variables that independently predict mitral valve replacement: endocarditis, absence of annular dilatation, leaflet calcification, annular calcification, mitral stenosis, mitral sclerosis and limited surgeon experience. They calculated the model’s ability to predict mitral replacement, and found that observed and predicted probabilities of mitral valve replacement were similar across all risk categories.

These results suggest that assessing seven variables before surgery can accurately predict the risk of unsuccessful mitral valve repair.

Original article: https://academic.oup.com/icvts/article/3078905/A-simple-preoperative-score-including-the-surgeon?searchresult=1