Echocardiographic parameters
Echocardiographic parameters, including left atrial diameter (LAD),
right atrial diameter (RAD), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter
(LVEDD), right ventricular end-diastolic diameter (RVEDD), pulmonary
artery systolic pressure (PASP), left ventricular ejection fraction
(LVEF) and degree of FTR, were measured at baseline and each follow-up.
The proximal iso-velocity surface area method was used to evaluate the
degree of TR. Per current guidelines, the severity of FTR was graded
qualitatively with a multi-integrative approach, classified into three
grades[21]: mild = 1, moderate = 2, and severe =
3. FTR deterioration or improvement was defined as adding or decreasing
at least one grade of FTR level.