Preoperative and postoperative right ventricular function during exercise in patients with mitral stenosis.

To elucidate the effects of mitral valve surgery on right ventricular function in 11 patients with mitral stenosis, pre- and postoperative right ventricular function were quantified using gated equilibrium blood pool radionuclide ventriculography at rest and during exercise. The preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction was 39 +/- 4% at rest and 36 +/- 9% during exercise, which during exercise was lower than control values (51 +/- 5%) (p < 0.01). When the preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction was lower during exercise than at rest, postoperative right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise was lower than normal values (42 +/- 3% versus 51 +/- 5%) (p < 0.01). When the preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction did not decrease during exercise, the postoperative right ventricular ejection fraction was within normal limits during exercise (54 +/- 5%). In addition, postoperative right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise increased to normal values in patients whose preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise had been 40% or higher. Preoperative peak ejection rate was -1.81 +/- 0.19 EDV/sec at rest and -1.72 +/- 0.39 EDV/sec during exercise, which during exercise was lower than control values (-2.44 +/- 0.53 EDV/sec) (p < 0.01). Postoperatively, peak ejection rate during exercise (-2.50 +/- 0.37 EDV/sec) increased (p < 0.05) to normal levels. Preoperative peak filling rate was 1.61 +/- 0.47 EDV/sec at rest and 1.88 +/- 0.54 EDV/sec during exercise, which during exercise was lower than control values (2.58 +/- 0.62 EDV/sec) (p < 0.01). Postoperatively, peak filling rate during exercise (2.82 +/- 0.62 EDV/sec) increased (p < 0.05) to normal values in all patients. Preoperative changes in both right ventricular ejection fraction and peak ejection rate from rest to exercise inversely correlated with the preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance at rest (right ventricular ejection fraction, r = -0.79, p < 0.005; and peak ejection rate, r = -0.67, p < 0.05). In conclusion, right ventricular systolic function improved in about half of the patients with mitral stenosis, and diastolic function improved in all patients during exercise following surgery. When the preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance was elevated, the right ventricular systolic dysfunction persisted.