Effects of percutaneous transluminal mitral valvuloplasty on plasma catecholamine levels during exercise

Elevation of plasma catecholamine levels during exercise in patients with mitral stenosis correlated with the severity of the disease. We investigated the plasma norepinephrine changes in six patients before and after percutaneous transluminal mitral valvuloplasty (PTMV) during continuously graded ergometer exercise. Peak exercise intensity was increased from 65.8 W to 87.5 W after PTMV. Plasma norepinephrine level at 60 W workload intensity was decreased from 2308 ± 864 pg/ml to 841 ± 233 pg/ml after PTMV ( p < 0.05). We concluded that PTMV decreased the plasma norepinephrine level during exercise in the patients with mitral stenosis. Percutaneous transluminal mitral valvuloplasty is a novel procedure for the improvement of symptoms in patients with mitral stenosis.