Mitral Valve Repair Via Catheter Offers Better Outcomes Than Pharmacological Treatment in Heart Failure Patients

Approximately one-third of patients with heart failure experience a problem where the heart's mitral valve does not close properly, a condition known as mitral regurgitation. As a result, individuals with this condition feel weak, fatigued, or have difficulty breathing and performing daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries. A new study has now demonstrated the benefits of placing a clip on the valve instead of the usual medical treatment.

The study involving researchers at Trias Hospital (Barcelona, Spain) showed that this significant benefit also applies to patients with moderate mitral regurgitation. This finding, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, enables faster treatment and improves the patient's clinical condition before it becomes too late. The catheter-based treatment involves placing a clip on the mitral valve without the need for surgery, through a minimally invasive procedure that only requires a 2-3 day hospital stay, enabling patients to quickly return to their normal lives. The study involved 505 patients from 30 centers in nine countries, divided into two groups: one group received mitral valve repair along with the recommended medical treatment, while the other group received only the usual medical treatment.

Image: Mitral valve repair via catheter offered significant benefit even in patients with moderate mitral regurgitation (Photo courtesy of Abbott)

After 24 months, the group that received the valve repair showed a significant reduction in the rate of recurrent hospitalizations for heart failure or cardiovascular death compared to the group that only received medical treatment. Additionally, patients who underwent valve repair experienced a notable improvement in their quality of life after 12 months, as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire. This international study could represent a turning point in the treatment of many patients with mitral valve insufficiency.

"We now have new evidence showing that a minimally invasive procedure is beneficial even in less severe patients, and this should revolutionize clinical guidelines," said Professor Antoni Bayés-Genís from Germans Trias Hospital, adding that the goal "should always be to improve these patients' quality of life and prevent them from needing hospitalization, and this study proves that."

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