Does the presence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) cause symptoms and functional impairment in outpatients referred for suspicion of MVP?
Symptoms and functional impairment in patients suspected of having mitral valve prolapse are not directly related to the echocardiographic presence of the condition, suggesting other etiologies for their symptoms.
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common condition that is believed to be responsible for numerous symptoms and potentially serious complications. To determine whether symptoms and functional impairment are related to MVP itself, we studied 274 outpatients referred to an echocardiography laboratory for suspicion of MVP. The age, sex, and symptoms at the time of echocardiography were similar among patients with and without evidence of MVP. After 14 to 36 months, 158 patients were interviewed. There was a high rate of dysfunction, but echocardiographic evidence of MVP was not associated with disability, health care utilization, or reported symptoms. The results of this study suggest that symptoms and dysfunction are not related to the presence of MVP by echocardiography. The functional impairment that is seen in patients suspected of MVP may be caused by other factors.
Sheldon M. Retchin (1986) studied this question.