Research presented at the ESC Congress 2024 indicates that mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) significantly reduces cardiovascular death and heart failure-related hospitalizations in patients with moderate to severe functional mitral regurgitation (FMR).

At the two-year mark, the M-TEER group demonstrated a significantly lower rate of total hospitalizations for heart failure and cardiovascular death, with rates of 37.0 versus 58.9 per 100 patient-years.

Despite the promising outcomes of M-TEER, the study found no significant difference in the primary composite endpoint when compared to traditional surgical methods, with 16.7% of the TEER group and 22.5% of the surgical group experiencing adverse events after one year.

Quality of life improvements were notable, with the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) scores showing a significant increase in the M-TEER group (+21.6) compared to the control group (+8.0).

Patients undergoing T-TEER experienced lower rates of hospitalization and death, although the trial was not specifically designed to statistically measure these outcomes.

The primary safety endpoint was significantly better in the TEER group, with only 14.9% of patients experiencing adverse events compared to 54.8% in the surgical group.

The study involved 300 patients from 24 centers in France and Belgium, with a mean age of 78 years, highlighting a demographic that is often at high surgical risk.

Professor Stephan Baldus noted that these findings could significantly influence treatment decisions for patients at high risk for surgery.

The primary endpoint of the study was the Packer composite score, which assessed various health metrics, including New York Heart Association class and major cardiovascular events.

Secondary tricuspid regurgitation (TR) can lead to severe functional deficits, emphasizing the need for effective treatment options for patients experiencing symptoms of heart failure.

Mitral regurgitation (MR) remains a prevalent condition that significantly contributes to heart failure, making advancements in treatment options like TEER critical.

Future research will focus on identifying specific patient phenotypes with severe TR that may benefit more from T-TEER, paving the way for tailored treatment approaches.