[Tricuspid valve stenosis. A prospective study of 35 cases].

Authors report the results of prospective and longitudinal study. The aims of this study were to evaluate among 35 patients, prevalence, diagnosis and treatment aspects of tricuspid stenosis (TS), as well as evolution and pronostical factors. The prevalence of TS was about 4.2%. The main clinical signs were: dyspnoea (94.2%), jugular veinus pulses (42.8%), superior cave syndrom (68.8%), diastolic rumble (74.3%). ECG showed sinus rhythm (51.4%), a right atrial hypertrophy (48.5%). Echocardiography showed tricuspid leaflets thickened (82.8%), a right atrial hypertrophy (48.5%), a mean gradient between right atrial and right ventricle: 8.6 +/- 3.14 mmHg (65.7%) and mean tricuspid area about 1.41 +/- 0.83 cm2 (continuous equation); about 1.74 +/- 1.29 cm2 (Hatle formula) and 1.11 0.84 cm2 (simplified Hatle formula). Aetiology was only rheumatic fever. After a follow-up of 8.53 +/- 6.06 months, the mortality rate was 28.5%. Complications were irreducible heart failure (24 cases), liver failure (2 cases) and stroke (3 cases). Factors associated with mortality were: severity of tricuspid stenosis and pulmonary hypertension, importance of dyspnea and heart failure (p < 0.041).