Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients. Mean values ± standard deviations are given

Age (years)

77.6 ± 6.6

Weight (kg)

79.1 ± 14.7

BMI (kg/m2)

27.0 ± 4.9

Female gender, n (%)

18/42(42.9%)

NYHA functional class, n (%)

II 1/42(2.4%)

III 40/42 (95.2%)

IV 1/42 (2.4%)

Etiology of the MR, n (%)

(1) Primary 23/42(54.8%)

(2) Secondary 17/42(40.5%)

(3) Mixed 2/42(4.8%)

Chronic obstructive lung disease

7/42 (16.7%)

Asthma bronchiale

1/42(2.4%)

LVEF (%)

48.2 ± 13.4

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (pg/ml)

3367.7 ± 4718.0

EURO Score II

5.0 ± 3.6

Pulmonary artery pressure (mmHg)

48.8 ± 11.4

Glomerular filtration rate (mL/min/1.73 m2)

53.2 ± 22.2

Vital capacity (ml/kg)

85.3 ± 21.8

Left atrial diameter in M-Mode (mm)

48.1 ± 8.0

Atrial fibrillation (AF), n (%)

35 (83.3%)