Background and aim of the study: The European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation score (EuroSCORE) has been shown to be a valid tool for predicting immediate and late outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery. As evidence also suggests its value in heart valve surgery, this issue was investigated in a series of patients who underwent surgery for mitral valve regurgitation.
Methods: Data obtained from 180 patients who underwent mitral valve repair (MVRep) or mitral valve replacement (MVR) were reviewed, and the patients’ additive and logistic EuroSCOREs calculated.
Results: The 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 10.0% (n = 18); rates were 7.1% after MVRep and 20.5% after MVR (p = 0.013). The additive EuroSCORE (p <0.0001, area under the ROC curve: 0.804, 95% CI 0.689-0.919, SE 0.059), as well as logistic EuroSCORE (p <0.0001, area under the ROC curve: 0.806, 95% CI 0.695-0.918, SE 0.057) were predictors of 30-day postoperative death.

The 10-year overall survival rate from any cause of death was 74.7%. Additive and logistic EuroSCOREs were significantly higher in the MVR group compared to the MVRep group (p <0.0001 in both cases), and also among operative survivors. Patients who underwent MVR had a significantly poorer long-term survival than those with MVRep (p = 0.01). Both the additive EuroSCORE (p <0.0001) and logistic EuroSCORE (p = 0.003) were predictors of late, all-cause mortality. Both scores remained significant predictors of late outcome also when adjusted for type of surgery (MVRep versus MVR). Survival was particularly dismal in patients with an additive EuroSCORE ≥6 (at 10 years, 54.4% versus 86.6%, p <0.00001) or a logistic EuroSCORE ≥4% (at 10 years, 58.7% versus 86.6%, p <0.00001).
Conclusion: EuroSCORE is an important predictor of immediate and late outcome after surgery for mitral valve regurgitation.

The Journal of Heart Valve Disease 2007;16:116-121