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.