Evaluation of patients diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse followed in our hospital's Pediatric Cardiology Clinic

Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) is the billowing of the mitral valve leaflets into the atrium. It is generally benign in nature; however, in rare cases, it may lead to sudden cardiac death or endocarditis. MVP is often detected during cardiac auscultation, and echocardiography is used to confirm the diagnosis. This study aims to identify potential contributing factors to MVP and determine the key points to consider in the management and follow-up of patients diagnosed with MVP between the ages of 0 and 18. The study was conducted by retrospectively analyzing data from patients diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse who presented to the Pediatric Cardiology Outpatient Clinic of Samsun Training and Research Hospital. Patient characteristics such as age, sex, presence and severity of mitral regurgitation (MR), results of electrocardiograms (ECG), echocardiograms, Holter ECGs, levels of mitral annular disjunction (MAD), as well as any accompanying physical examination findings or additional echocardiographic findings, were evaluated. Data collection was conducted using the hospital's information management system. The data obtained in this study were analyzed using IBM-SPSS Statistics 25.0, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. The findings were interpreted according to this threshold. In our study, the majority of patients (80.7%) were female. A statistically significant relationship was found between gender and the presence of abnormal findings on physical examination or echocardiography. However, no significant relationship was observed between gender and Holter ECG findings or the severity of mitral regurgitation. Similarly, no significant associations were found between MAD levels and age, gender, or Holter ECG results. A statistically significant relationship was observed between Holter ECG abnormalities and the presence of additional findings on physical examination or echocardiography. In conclusion, MVP is the most common valvular heart disease in childhood. Recognizing the physical examination findings of the disease, referring patients to appropriate centers for further evaluation, and identifying risk factors and associated findings are essential for effective follow-up planning. Our study underscores the importance of MVP in the pediatric population and emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of MVP patients. Keywords: Mitral Valve Prolapse, Mitral Annular Disjunction, Valvular Heart Diseases