scholarly journals Accuracy of echocardiographic estimates of pulmonary artery pressures in pulmonary hypertension: insights from the KARUM hemodynamic database

Author(s):  
Ashwin Venkateshvaran ◽  
Natavan Seidova ◽  
Hande Oktay Tureli ◽  
Barbro Kjellström ◽  
Lars H. Lund ◽  
...  

AbstractAccurate assessment of pulmonary artery (PA) pressures is integral to diagnosis, follow-up and therapy selection in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Despite wide utilization, the accuracy of echocardiography to estimate PA pressures has been debated. We aimed to evaluate echocardiographic accuracy to estimate right heart catheterization (RHC) based PA pressures in a large, dual-centre hemodynamic database. Consecutive PH referrals that underwent comprehensive echocardiography within 3 h of clinically indicated right heart catheterization were enrolled. Subjects with absent or severe, free-flowing tricuspid regurgitation (TR) were excluded. Accuracy was defined as mean bias between echocardiographic and invasive measurements on Bland–Altman analysis for the cohort and estimate difference within ± 10 mmHg of invasive measurements for individual diagnosis. In 419 subjects, echocardiographic PA systolic and mean pressures demonstrated minimal bias with invasive measurements (+ 2.4 and + 1.9 mmHg respectively) but displayed wide limits of agreement (− 20 to + 25 and − 14 to + 18 mmHg respectively) and frequently misclassified subjects. Recommendation-based right atrial pressure (RAP) demonstrated poor precision and was falsely elevated in 32% of individual cases. Applying a fixed, median RAP to echocardiographic estimates resulted in relatively lower bias between modalities when assessing PA systolic (+ 1.4 mmHg; 95% limits of agreement + 25 to − 22 mmHg) and PA mean pressures (+ 1.4 mmHg; 95% limits of agreement + 19 to − 16 mmHg). Echocardiography accurately represents invasive PA pressures for population studies but may be misleading for individual diagnosis owing to modest precision and frequent misclassification. Recommendation-based estimates of RAPmean may not necessarily contribute to greater accuracy of PA pressure estimates.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashwin Venkateshvaran ◽  
Natavan Seidova ◽  
Hande Oktay Tureli ◽  
Barbro Kjellström ◽  
Lars H Lund ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND. Accurate assessment of pulmonary artery (PA) pressures is integral to diagnosis, follow-up and therapy selection in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Despite wide utilization, the accuracy of echocardiography to estimate PA pressures has been debated. We aimed to evaluate echocardiographic accuracy to estimate right heart catheterization (RHC) based PA pressures in a large, dual-centre hemodynamic database. METHODS. Consecutive PH referrals that underwent comprehensive echocardiography within 3 hours of clinically indicated right heart catheterization were enrolled. Subjects with absent or severe, free-flowing tricuspid regurgitation (TR) were excluded. Accuracy was defined as mean bias between echocardiographic and invasive measurements on Bland-Altman analysis for the cohort and estimate difference within ±10mmHg of invasive measurements for individual diagnosis. RESULTS. In 419 subjects, echocardiographic PA systolic and mean pressures demonstrated minimal bias with invasive measurements (+2.4 and +1.9mmHg respectively) but displayed wide limits of agreement (-20 to +25 and -14 to +18mmHg respectively) and frequently misclassified subjects. Recommendation-based right atrial pressure (RAP) demonstrated poor precision and was falsely elevated in 32% of individual cases. Applying a fixed, median RAP to echocardiographic estimates resulted in relatively lower bias between modalities when assessing PA systolic (+1.4mmHg; 95% limits of agreement +25 to –22mmHg) and PA mean pressures (+1.4mmHg; 95% limits of agreement +19 to -16mmHg).CONCLUSIONS. Echocardiography accurately represents invasive PA pressures for population studies but may be misleading for individual diagnosis owing to modest precision and frequent misclassification. Recommendation-based estimates of RAPmean may not necessarily contribute to greater accuracy of PA pressure estimates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Koell ◽  
S Ludwig ◽  
O Bhadra ◽  
A Gossling ◽  
N Schofer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to left heart disease is the most common form of PH. Published literature suggests increased perisurgical mortality in patients undergoing surgical repair in the setting of preexisting PH. The data on the impact of preexisting PH on clinical outcomes after percutaneous Mitral Valve Edge-to-Edge Repair (pMVR) is limited to observational studies and rely mostly on echocardiographic data. Purpose The aim of the current study is to evaluate the influence of preexisting PH in patients undergoing pMVR analyzing periprocedural invasive right heart catheterization data. Methods Between September 2008 and July 2018, a total of 911 patients with moderate-to-severe or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) underwent pMVR at our center. This analysis includes 331 patients with a complete data set for pre- and postprocedural right heart catheterization and echocardiographic assessment as well as available follow-up information after the implantation. Patients are divided according to the etiology of PH. The combined primary endpoint consists of all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure. Furthermore, a sub-analysis is performed for all patients with preexisting post-capillary PH. Patients with post-capillary PH are divided into two groups based on a postprocedural decrease of pulmonary artery wedge pressure (mPAWP) below the threshold of 15mmHg. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses are performed to assess the influence on long-term outcome. Results Of all 331 patients (57.7% [n= 191] male) undergoing pMVR, 195 (62.1%) had functional MR. Median ejection fraction was 40.5% (29.3, 54.0). Patients were followed-up for a maximum of 4.41 years and the median follow-up time was 1.98 years. Preexisting PH (mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25 mmHg) was found in 236 (71.1%) patients: 49 patients had pre-capillary PH (≤15 mmHg), 187 had post-capillary PH (pcPH; n=183; mPAWP >15 mmHg). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, no statistically significant difference could be found in overall mortality in patients without or with PH, irrespective of etiology (p=0.43). However, in patients suffering from post-capillary PH, patients with a postprocedural reduction of mPAWP below the threshold of 15mmHg showed a significantly lower risk for overall long-term mortality compared to patients without a relevant mPAWP reduction (p=0.018). Multivariate analysis revealed acute postprocedural decrease of mPAWP below 15mmHg in patients with post-capillary PH to have a significant influence on mortality (HR 2.81 [1.35, 5.86]; p=0.006; Figure 1). Conclusion In contrast to previously published findings, the present results were not able to show a significant impact of PH, disregarding its etiology, on outcome. Nevertheless, a postprocedural decrease of mPAWP below 15mmHg in patients with post-capillary PH is associated with a favorable outcome. Figure 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 546-553
Author(s):  
Karolina Barańska-Pawełczak ◽  
Celina Wojciechowska ◽  
Wojciech Jacheć

Right heart catheterization is a unique tool not only in the diagnosis but also in the management of patients with a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. The technique dates back to the 18th century, but the biggest advances were made in the 20th century. This review focuses on pulmonary hypertension for which right heart catheterization remains the diagnostic gold standard. Right heart catheterization-derived parameters help classify pulmonary hypertension into several subgroups, assess risk of adverse events or mortality and make therapeutic decisions. According to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as an increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAPm) > 25 mmHg, whereas a distinction between pre- and post-capillary PH is made based on levels of pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP). Moreover, right atrial pressure (RAP), cardiac index (CI) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) are the only parameters recommended to assess prognosis and only in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Patients with RAP > 14 mmHg, CI < 2.0 l/min/m2 and SvO2 < 60% are at high (> 10%) risk of death within the next year. The purpose of this paper is to show that RHC-derived parameters can be used on a considerably larger scale than currently recommended. Several prognostic parameters, with specific thresholds have been identified for each subtype of pulmonary hypertension and can be helpful in everyday practice for treatment of PH.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 204589401877305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Batool AbuHalimeh ◽  
Milind Y. Desai ◽  
Adriano R. Tonelli

The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) requires a right heart catheterization (RHC) that reveals a mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 25 mmHg. The pulmonary artery catheter traverse the right atrium and ventricle on its way to the pulmonary artery. The presence of abnormal right heart structures, i.e. thrombus, vegetation, benign or malignant cardiac lesions, can lead to complications during this procedure. On the other hand, avoidance of RHC delays the diagnosis and treatment of PH, an approach that might be associated with worse outcomes. This paper discusses the impact of right heart lesions on the diagnosis of PH and suggests an approach on how to manage this association.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily K Zern ◽  
Paula Rambarat ◽  
Samantha Paniagua ◽  
Elizabeth Liu ◽  
Jenna McNeill ◽  
...  

Introduction: The pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi), calculated from the ratio of pulmonary artery pulse pressure to right atrial pressure, was initially described as a novel predictor of right ventricular failure after inferior myocardial infarction or left ventricular assist device implantation. Whether PAPi is associated with adverse outcomes in broader samples is unknown. Hypothesis: A lower PAPi is associated with mortality in a broad population referred for right heart catheterization. Methods: We examined consecutive patients undergoing right heart catheterization between 2005-2016 in a hospital-based cohort. The following exclusion criteria were applied: shock or cardiac arrest within 24 hours of catheterization, presence of mechanical circulatory support, prior cardiac transplant, prior valvular surgery, or those with missing key clinical covariates. Multivariable Cox models were utilized to examine the association between PAPi and mortality. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, prior myocardial infarction, and prior heart failure. Results: We studied 8559 patients with mean age 63 years and 40% women. We found that patients in the lowest quartile of PAPi were younger, with greater proportion of men, and higher BMI, yet similar NT-proBNP compared with other quartiles ( Table 1 ). Over 12.5 years of follow-up, there were 2441 death events. Patients in the lowest PAPi quartile had a 31% greater risk of death compared with the highest quartile (multivariable adjusted HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.15-1.48, p<0.001), whereas no differences in survival were seen among individuals in quartile 2 or 3 (p>0.05 vs quartile 4 for both). Conclusions: Patients in the lowest PAPi quartile had a 31% increased risk of all-cause mortality in a broad population referred for right heart catheterization. These findings highlight a potential role for PAPi in identifying high-risk individuals across a spectrum of disease.


ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 2507-2511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Calderaro ◽  
Luis Felipe Prada ◽  
Rogério Souza

The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) relies on the haemodynamic criterion of mean pulmonary arterial pressure greater than or equal to 25 mmHg, assessed by right heart catheterization. The scope of this chapter is to discuss the key elements of clinical assessment of PH patients and the decision process to indicate right heart catheterization. Investigation must get through all the possible causes of PH according to their probability and frequency in the population. Echocardiography is the most important non-invasive test as an indicator for further diagnostic evaluation. Patients who are eligible for right heart catheterization should always be referred to PH centres, where technical skills and standardized procedures will enable maximal reliability of haemodynamic measurement. In the reference centre, a multidisciplinary team will discuss clinical and haemodynamic data, to propose the best therapeutic and follow-up schedule.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 64-76
Author(s):  
Yu. M. Sirenko ◽  
I. O. Zhyvylo ◽  
G. D. Radchenko

The aim – critical review of our own experience, its compliance with current recommendations and data from international registries, as also assessment of pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics obtained in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in Ukraine. Materials and methods. 220 procedures of the right heart and pulmonary artery catheterization were performed in 195 patients with medium or high probability of PAH according to echocardiography in compliance with current recommendations. All patients were hospitalized at National Scientific Center “M.D. Strazhesko Institute of Cardiology” of NAMS of Ukraine with suspected PAH (primary) or with worsening of the disease course (repeatedly) or in order to confirm the status of vasoreactivity (repeated).Results and discussion. 220 successful catheterization procedures were performed. Primary (diagnostic) right heart catheterization was performed in 195 patients, and repeated – in 25. A diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension was confirmed in 178 patients. In 17 patients, according to the results of catheterization, the diagnosis of PAH was excluded: the mean pressure in the pulmonary artery was less than 20 mm Hg. The structure of nosology in patients who underwent right heart catheterization was as follows: idiopathic PAH was fixed in 68 (38 %) patients, of which 11 (6 %) were vasoreactive; PAH associated with connective tissue diseases – in 21 (12 %) patients; PAH associated with HIV infection in – 4 (2 %) patients; PAH associated with portal hypertension – in 4 (2 %) patients; PAH associated with congenital heart disease – in 26 (15 %) patients; chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension – in 50 (28 %) patients. Vasoreactivity testing was performed in 33 patients with idiopathic PAH. In 11 of them it was positive (33 %). In patients with a positive vasoreactivity testing, the mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased by an average of 21.8 mm Hg to the level of 26.5 mm Hg (p 0.0001), while the cardiac index increased by 31 % and reached 3.8 l · min · m–2 (p<0.1). Pulmonary vascular resistance decreased by 6.4 Wood units to the level of 2.7 Wood units (p<0.0001). In patients with a negative vasoreactivity testing, the decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance was not statistically significant (p>0.05), and no changes in the cardiac index were detected. Conclusions. Based on the experience of our center, hemodynamic assessment using catheterization is safe and remains the diagnostic standard for PAH. Catheterization is necessary to clarify 4 parameters that are critical for the clinical profile of patients with pulmonary hypertension: right atrium pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac output, pulmonary wedge pressure. Patients with idiopathic PAH also need to have vasoreactivity evaluated in order to predict sensitivity to calcium channel blockers therapy, the presence of which is associated with better treatment and survival outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tal Abu ◽  
Amos Levi ◽  
David Hasdai ◽  
Mordechai R. Kramer ◽  
Tamir Bental ◽  
...  

Abstract Background - Right heart catheterization (RHC) and echocardiography are both routinely used for pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) assessment in lung transplantation (LT) candidates, although this is not mandated by current guidelines. We aimed to explore the correlation between PASP estimated by echocardiography to that measured by RHC, in this population in order to assess the necessity of RHC. Methods - From a retrospective registry of 393 LT candidates undergoing RHC and echocardiography during 2015-2019, patients were assessed for the presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH), defined as mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) above 20 mmHg, according to two methods – echocardiography and RHC. The primary outcome was the correlation between the PASP estimated by echocardiography to that measured by RHC. Secondary outcomes were the prediction value of the echocardiographic evaluation and its accuracy. Results - The mean value of PASP estimated by echocardiography was 49.5±20.0 mmHg, compared to 42.5±18.0 mmHg measured by RHC. The correlation between the two measurements was moderate (Pearson’s correlation: r=0.609, p<0.01). Echocardiography PASP measurements were moderately discriminative to diagnose PH, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.72 (95% CI 0.66-0.76). Echocardiographic overestimation of PASP of more than 10 mmHg was found in 35.0% of the patients, and underestimation was found in 11.6% of the patients.Conclusion - In the pre-surgical evaluation of LT candidates, echocardiographic estimation of PASP had moderate correlation and limited accuracy compared to the PASP measured by RHC. We thus recommend performing routine RHC to all LT candidates, regardless of the echocardiographic estimation of PASP.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila Farnese Rezende ◽  
Eliane Viana Mancuzo ◽  
Maria Carmo P Nunes ◽  
Ricardo de Amorim Corrêa

Abstract Purpose: Studies in the context of research have shown a significant disagreement between the echocardiographic measurement of the systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) and right atrial pressure (RAP) and that obtained by right heart catheterization (RHC). We compare measurements of sPAP and RAP, verified by transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) with those detected by RHC in patients being investigated for pulmonary hypertension (PH). Methods: Cross-sectional study was performed in a context of usual clinical practice in the public referral center for PH, including patients with high or intermediate echocardiographic probability of pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic PH. Bland-Altman test was used to assess the agreement amongthe values and ROC curve to identify sPAP and tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) values ​​with better accuracy. Clinically acceptable differences of 10 mmHg for sPAP and 5 mmHg for RAP were considered.Results: Ninety-five patients were included. The Bland-Altman analysis showed a bias of 8.03 mmHg for sPAP and -3.30 mmHg for RAP. Area under the curve for sPAP and TRV measured by TTE were 0.936(95% CI: 0.836-1.0) and 0.919(95% CI: 0.837-1.0), respectively. According to the pre-defined pressure differences, only 33.4% of the echocardiographic estimate of sPAP and 55.1% of RAP were accurate, as compared to the measurements obtained by RHC. Conclusions: Real life study revealed that echocardiographic evaluation demonstrated a high discriminatory power for diagnosis of PH, but sPAP and RAP measurements showed significant disagreements in relation to hemodynamic measures. The technical improvement of diagnostic services may contribute to the earlier recognition of this condition by TTE.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Lichtblau ◽  
Patrick R. Bader ◽  
Stéphanie Saxer ◽  
Charlotte Berlier ◽  
Esther I. Schwarz ◽  
...  

Background We investigated changes in right atrial pressure (RAP) during exercise and their prognostic significance in patients assessed for pulmonary hypertension (PH). Methods and Results Consecutive right heart catheterization data, including RAP recorded during supine, stepwise cycle exercise in 270 patients evaluated for PH, were analyzed retrospectively and compared among groups of patients with PH (mean pulmonary artery pressure [mPAP] ≥25 mm Hg), exercise‐induced PH (exPH; resting mPAP <25 mm Hg, exercise mPAP >30 mm Hg, and mPAP/cardiac output >3 Wood Units (WU)), and without PH (noPH). We investigated RAP changes during exercise and survival over a median (quartiles) observation period of 3.7 (2.8–5.6) years. In 152 patients with PH, 58 with exPH, and 60 with noPH, median (quartiles) resting RAP was 8 (6–11), 6 (4–8), and 6 (4–8) mm Hg ( P <0.005 for noPH and exPH versus PH). Corresponding peak changes (95% CI) in RAP during exercise were 5 (4–6), 3 (2–4), and −1 (−2 to 0) mm Hg (noPH versus PH P <0.001, noPH versus exPH P =0.027). RAP increase during exercise correlated with mPAP/cardiac output increase ( r =0.528, P <0.001). The risk of death or lung transplantation was higher in patients with exercise‐induced RAP increase (hazard ratio, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.69–10.64; P =0.002) compared with patients with unaltered or decreasing RAP during exercise. Conclusions In patients evaluated for PH, RAP during exercise should not be assumed as constant. RAP increase during exercise, as observed in exPH and PH, reflects hemodynamic impairment and poor prognosis. Therefore, our data suggest that changes in RAP during exercise right heart catheterization are clinically important indexes of the cardiovascular function.


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