Detection and quantitative evaluation of functional disorders of the tricuspid valve during conducting of the treadmill test in patients with mitral valve defects

A multi-stage treadmill test was performed in 80 patients with mitral valvular disease and 24 healthy subjects. In organic involvement of the tricuspid valve, there was a decrease in oxygen uptake increase to 0.36 metabolic units at Stage 3 of the proposed treadmill test protocol versus 1.02 units (p less than 0.05) in patients without this valve disease or healthy individuals. The sensitivity and specificity of the oxygen uptake stabilization as a diagnostic sign accounted for 75% and 91%, respectively. The stabilization was demonstrated to reflect pulmonary effective oxygenized blood flow derangement. It is concluded that the load leading to oxygen uptake stabilization quantitatively shows the severity of hemodynamic tricuspid valve dysfunctions.