Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation in Patients Undergoing Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis

We hypothesized that tricuspid valve regurgitation was associated with increased risk of mortality after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. We reviewed the records of 518 patients who received pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis between January 2000 and December 2016. We excluded cases of radiation induced constrictive pericarditis, tuberculous-related constrictive pericarditis, and concomitant tricuspid valve intervention. Patients were classified according to preoperative transthoracic echocardiography tricuspid regurgitation grade: none/trivial in 276 (53%) patients, mild in 191 (37%), and moderate/severe in 51 (10%). A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine an association between tricuspid valve regurgitation grade and mortality. Primary endpoint of this study was mortality. Median patient age was 62 years (interquartile range 51–69), sex was male in 409 (79%) patients, and left ventricular ejection fraction was 60% (54–65). Clinical follow-up was obtained in all patients at a median of 7.6 years (3.6–11.3). Kaplan-Meier estimates of mortality were 10.6% at 1 year, 23.5% at 5 years, and 39.0% at 10 years. Multivariable analysis demonstrated increased mortality risk with mild tricuspid valve regurgitation vs none/trivial (hazard ratio 1.64; 95% confidence interval 1.11–2.43; P = 0.012) and moderate/severe tricuspid valve regurgitation vs none/trivial (hazard ratio 2.27; 95% confidence interval 1.39–3.69; P = 0.001). These findings were independent of right ventricular function. Tricuspid valve regurgitation is a common and clinically important comorbidity in patients operated with pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. Mild or greater tricuspid valve regurgitation is associated with an increased risk of mortality following operation.