Background: Our aim was to conduct a long-term follow-up of patients aftermitral valve repair for incompetence. We identified determinants for mortality and compared mortalitywith standardized mortality rates of the Dutch population. Material/Methods: We included in this single-centerretrospective study 119 patients operated from March 1976 to February 1981. Patients with previous mitralvalve surgery, isolated mitral stenosis, and congenital heart disease were excluded. Routine echocardiographywas performed every 6 to 12 months. The cumulative probability of survival was calculated (Kaplan-Meier).The variables that statistically significantly associated with mortality were selected for multivariateanalysis. Maximum follow-up was 27 years and complete in 98%. Mean age was 49.4 years, and 55% were preoperativelyin New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III. Concomitant cardiac procedures were performed in 49%.Results: The 30-day postoperative mortality was 6.7% and the 20-year overall mortality was 63%. The standardizedmortality rate was 30%, which was based on survival rates of the general Dutch population. In 27 cases(22.7%), re-operation was performed. Independent predictors for mortality were, after univariate andmultivariate analysis, concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (p=0.002), renal impairment (p=0.027),age above 60 years (p=0.05), and ejection fraction

Keywords: Cause of Death, Cohort Studies, Follow-Up Studies, Mitral Valve - surgery, Mitral Valve Prolapse - surgery, Netherlands - epidemiology