Clinical features and treatment options for mitral regurgitation in elderly inpatients

Objective To summarize clinical characteristics and treatment strategy of Chinese elderly mitral regurgitation (MR) inpatients under the current guidelines, and to identify factors related to treatment options in them. Methods A single center retrospective study was conducted in which patients hospitalized in Fuwai hospital from May 1st of 2014 to April 30 of 2015 with moderate to severe MR assessed by transthoracic echocardiography were enrolled consecutively (n = 1741). Patients >60 years old were grouped as elderly group (n = 680) and patients < 60 years were grouped as control group (n = 1061). The elderly group was categorized into two subgroups based on surgical status. Results The mean age of the elderly group was 66.98 +/- 5.94 years. The most common reason of MR in elderly group was degenerative MR (41.18%). Atherosclerotic risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes or hyperlipidaemia were more commonly observed in elderly group than the control group (45.44% vs. 25.17%, P < 0.001; 19.56% vs. 8.48%, P < 0.001; 35.29% vs. 19.51%, P < 0.001). Elderly group had higher Euroscore. score (5.54 +/- 2.42 vs. 3.15 +/- 1.66), greater left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) (57.72 +/- 12.3 vs. 57.33 +/- 10.19 mm) and a lower surgery rate (54.71% vs. 63.91%); P < 0.05. Age, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), regurgitation grade, EuroScore-II high risk stratification and having diabetes were identified as factors associated with therapy decisions in elderly MR patients. Conclusions Valve surgery was denied in 45.29% of elderly MR inpatients. Older age, impaired LVEF, lower regurgitation grade, EuroScore-II high risk stratification, and having diabetes were factors most significantly associated with surgery denial among elderly Chinese inpatients with MR.