OBJECTIVES : Mitral Regurgitation is associated with substantial health care use. This study aims to quantify the healthcare utilization of Medicare patients with clinically significant MR (sMR).

METHODS : Between 2008-2014 Medicare FFS patients with a minimum of 1 inpatient or 2 outpatient claims (within 6-months) for MR were included. Functional MR (FMR) was defined by the presence of heart failure (HF) during a 6-month baseline or 6-month post-diagnosis (washout period). Degenerative MR (DMR) was defined as a presence of chordal rupture, or absence of HF and ischemia. Uncharacterized MR (UMR) was defined by all unclassified patients. Clinically significant valvular pathology (subcategorized as sDMR, sUMR, sFMR) was identified if in baseline or washout there existed a record of MR surgery, diagnoses of atrial fibrillation, pulmonary hypertension, or two or more echocardiograms. Presence of chordal rupture also defined sDMR. Demographics, comorbidities and healthcare utilization were summarized.

RESULTS : CONCLUSIONS : sMR is associated with substantial health care utilization, particularly in sFMR patients. MR surgery is uncommon in all sMR cohorts and associated with a high 1-year mortality risk highlighting the need for less invasive treatments with a higher safety profile.