Correlations between intraoperative and postoperative echocardiographic measurements in patients undergoing aortic bioprosthetic valve replacement: a prospective observational study

Patient–prosthesis mismatch (PPM) should be avoided during surgical aortic valve replacement because PPM would worsen the mortality and morbidity. Diagnosis of PPM could be made using various parameters measured by intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography. However, few studies have examined which parameters correlate most accurately between intraoperative and postoperative values.

This single-center prospective observational study analyzed 46 patients who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Echocardiography was performed at the following 3-time points: preoperatively, intraoperatively, and 1 month postoperatively. The correlation between intraoperative and postoperative measurement values, including peak velocity (PV), mean pressure gradient (MPG), effective orifice area (EOA), and effective orifice area index (EOAI), were assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Moreover, to evaluate whether a multivariable linear regression model with intraoperative and postoperative stroke volume added as an explanatory variable improves the correlation, the multiple correlation coefficients were calculated.

PV, MPG, EOA, and EOAI measured intraoperatively and 1 month postoperatively were significantly correlated. The r values of each measurement were 0.35, 0.344, 0.411 and 0.323, respectively. The multivariable linear regression model showed that the multiple correlation coefficients for MG and EOA were 0.491 and 0.663, respectively.

Intraoperative and postoperative PV, MPG, EOA, and EOAI were significantly correlated in patients undergoing SAVR with a bioprosthetic valve. The r value for EOA was 0.441, the largest among the measured values. Adjustment for stroke volume improved the strength of the correlation. Intraoperative evaluation of prosthetic valve function was considered most appropriate using EOA.

University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry, registration number UMIN000046164, https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000052695.