Rest and stress echocardiographic predictors of prognosis in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and functional mitral regurgitation.

We evaluate, in 37 consecutive patients (mean age 67+/-9 years) with functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), several rest and stress echocardiographic predictors of outcome. Rest end-systolic volume, peak stress end-diastolic volume and effective regurgitant orifice were independent predictors of death at 25 months follow-up. Therefore, rest and stress echocardiographic evaluation of patients with FMR provides strong prognostic information.