Comparison of different body habitus between patients with mitral valve prolapse and normal populations in young Taiwanese females.

摘要

The mitral valve prolapse (MVP) syndrome is one of the most prevalent cardiac valvular abnormalities and may affect as much as 5-15% of the population [ 1 ]. The weight of patients with MVP is often lower, and the habitus may be asthenic. Blood pressure (BP) is also normal or lower, and orthostatic hypotension may present. It has never been studied in association with body habitus in Taiwanese MVP patients. Thus we attempt to answer whether the descriptions regarding body habitus parameters in Western literature also apply to Taiwanese female patients.The study protocol was approved by the institution review board and ethics committee of Tzu Chi General Hospital, and informed consent was obtained from all participants. We consecutively recruited female patients aged between 20 and 30 years old. MVP patients without other organic heart disease were selected. Normal, age-matched volunteers without MVP and body habitus that cohered to normal population study reports in Taiwan (e.g., height range from 149 to 169 cm; weight range from 36 to 69 kg,) were recruited. Each patient completed a survey of symptoms of chest tightness, palpitation or breathless sensation.