Predictive factor of secondary tricuspid regurgitation after aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis: the importance of myocardial hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction

Objectives The aim of this study is to determine the predictors of secondary tricuspid regurgitation after aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis. Methods Seventy-one patients, who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis at our institute from January 2006 to July 2011, were divided into two groups: an STR group, which included 15 patients with moderate or greater than moderate secondary tricuspid regurgitation at a follow-up visit and a control group. Echocardiography was performed before surgery, at discharge, and at a late follow-up visit (mean follow-up 36 +/- 19 months, range 0-77). Results Preoperatively, the number of women (p < .01), body surface area (p < .001), and relative wall thickness (0.60 +/- 0.15 vs 0.71 +/- 0.13, p = .022) showed significant differences between the two groups. At a follow-up visit, moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (p = .0001) and severe diastolic dysfunction (p = .003) showed significant differences between the two groups. In the Cox regression analysis, moderate or severe mitral regurgitation at follow-up (p = .038, hazard ratio 4.394, 95% CI 1.085-17.791) was the only independent predictor of secondary tricuspid regurgitation. Conclusions This study suggested that preoperative concentric myocardial hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction were associated with development of the secondary tricuspid regurgitation at late follow-up.