The association between Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) and anxiety disorders, particularly Panic disorder (PD) and Social Anxiety disorder (SAD), attracted considerable interest in the 1980 and 1990 decades but the published results were not sufficient to definitely establish or to exclude an association between MVP and PD or SAD, with prevalences ranging from 0 to 57%.

According to a recent literature review on this topic, there are no studies about this possible association using current MVP criteria.

The study consisted of echocardiographic evaluation of 232 volunteers previously diagnosed with SAD (N=126), PD (N=41) or Control (N=65). The exams were performed by two cardiologists specialized in echocardiography who were blind to the psychiatric diagnosis of the participants.

There were no statistical differences between groups in MVP prevalence (SAD=4.0%, PD=2.4% and Control=0.0%), with values similar to the prevalence currently estimated for the normal population (2-4%). When the data were evaluated using the M-mode, the method used in most of the previous studies but currently considered of questionable validity, the prevalence was higher in the SAD group (8.7%) compared to control (0.0%).

Regarding the other morphological characteristics of the mitral valve, no significant differences were detected between groups in terms of the presence of mitral insufficiency, mean valve thickness and mean valvar dislocation in any two-dimensional echocardiographic view.

If any relationship does actually exist among SAD, PD and MVP, it could be said that it is infrequent and that it mainly occurs in subjects with minor variants of MVP.