Introduction: Mitral regurgitation (MR) represents the second most common valvular heart disease (1). It is classified as primary (organic) and secondary (functional) MR, with secondary being more frequent (2). Degenerative valvular disease, rheumatic fever, infective endocarditis and mitral valve prolapse are most common causes of primary MR². On the other hand, secondary MR is usually result of ischemic heart disease or dilatative cardiomyopathy (2). The aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of primary MR according to gender.

Patients and Methods: Retrospective study was conducted to assess the relation between MR with other VHD. A total of 686 patients, with male predominance of 55%, were included in the study.

Results: Among all patients with MR 519 (75.6%) had primary MR. Degenerative valvular heart disease was the main cause of primary MR, counting for 474 patients (91.3%). Other causes of primary MR included mitral valve prolapse, rheumatic valvular heart disease, and other causes, with frequency of 19 (3.6%), 5 (1%), 21 (4.1%), respectively. According to gender distribution, 290 (55.9%) males and 229 (44.1%) females had primary MR. Degenerative mitral valve disease was the main cause of primary MR in both men and women (90.3 and 92.5%), while the least frequent was infective endocarditis among men and rheumatic heart disease among women.

Conclusion: Degenerative MR was most common cause of primary MR. Regardless of gender groups, with women slightly more affected.