Functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) has a very poor outcome and few patients are referred for surgery due to the important peri-operative mortality which averages 15%.1 Edge-to-edge percutaneous repair has been proposed as an alternative to cardiac surgery and preliminary results showed improvement in patient’s functional status and outcome. However, the feasibility is limited in patients with advanced FTR disease, i.e. in case of a large gap of leaflet coaptation.2 Levosimendan is a calcium sensitizer agent which enhances cardiac contractility and has a strong vasodilatation effect. Levosimendan seems particularly efficient in improving right ventricular (RV) function. The benefit of the repetitive use of levosimendan in chronic heart failure (HF) has been demonstrated,3 but no study has been conducted in patients with severe FTR. In this preliminary clinical study, we reported the clinical and echocardiography impacts of the repetitive use of levosimendan in HF patients with severe FTR. We prospectively included 33 consecutive patients (77 ± 7 years, 48.5% of women) admitted for HF with severe FTR [73% graded as massive or torrential, mean effective regurgitation orifice area (EROA) = 100 ± 56 m²]. All patients signed informed consent. Most of the patients were in NYHA Class III and IV (91%) with a median dose of furosemide at 250 mg daily (95; 500). The majority were in chronic atrial fibrillation (92%), 51.5% had a history of cardiac surgery, and 42.4% had a pacemaker or defibrillator lead. Surgery was denied by the Heart Team because of the operative risk (mean Triscore = 25 ± 17%) and the percutaneous approach was first excluded because of inappropriate anatomy or imaging. Levosimendan was delivered without bolus by intravenous perfusion (0.2 γ/kg/min over 24 h) and repeated at least one time after 2 or 3 weeks. The severity of TR was graded according to EROA using the PISA (proximal isovelocity surface area) method3 by transthoracic echocardiography. Tricuspid annulus diameter, tricuspid leaflet tenting and coaptation, and RV and right atrial (RA) dimensions were quantified from a four-chamber view and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter was assessed in the subcostal view. Right ventricular function was assessed using tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE).
Read full abstract