scholarly journals Impact of the revised haemodynamic definition on the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 1900586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Jaafar ◽  
Scott Visovatti ◽  
Amber Young ◽  
Suiyuan Huang ◽  
Paul Cronin ◽  
...  

IntroductionPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one of the leading causes of mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc). We explored the impact of the updated haemodynamic definition of pulmonary hypertension (PH), as proposed by the 6th World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension.MethodsIn this single-centre retrospective analysis, patients with SSc who had right heart catheterisation (RHC) were included. We compared the prior PH definition to the updated PH definition. The prior definition classified PH as mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg and further divided into pre-capillary PH (PAH and PH due to lung disease and/or hypoxia), post-capillary PH, and combined pre- and post-capillary PH groups. For the updated definition, PH was classified as mPAP >20 mmHg and further divided into the different groups. We validated our findings in the DETECT cohort.ResultsBetween 2005 and March 2019, 268 RHCs were performed in this single-centre cohort. Using the prior definition, 137 (51%) were diagnosed with PH, with 89 classified as pre-capillary PH (56 with PAH and 33 with PH due to lung disease and/or hypoxia), 29 as post-capillary PH, and 19 as combined pre- and post-capillary PH. When the updated definition was applied to the cohort, seven out of 131 (5%) with no PH were reclassified to pre-capillary PH (PAH (n=1), PH due to lung disease (n=3) and post-capillary PH (n=3)). In those with mPAP 21–24 mmHg, with no left heart or significant lung disease, one out of 28 (4%) in our cohort and four out of 36 (11%) in the DETECT cohort were reclassified as PAH.ConclusionThe updated PH definition does not appear to have a significant impact on the diagnosis of PH in two different screening cohorts.

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Xanthouli ◽  
N Milde ◽  
A M Marra ◽  
N Benjamin ◽  
C Nagel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) are at high risk of developing concomitant pulmonary hypertension (PH) which has a crucial impact on the patients' symptoms, quality of life and prognosis. Purpose The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of the new hemodynamic definition of precapillary PH as proposed at the 2018 World Symposium on PH in Nice in patients with SSc. Although recent data suggest that PVR >2 WU could be considered as abnormal in the new definition a conservative cut-off value of PVR ≥3 WU has been used. Methods SSc-patients were screened for PH using clinical assessments as WHO-functional class, 6 minute walking distance and right heart catheterisation. Patients were divided into hemodynamic subgroups according to their mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) values with mPAP ≤20 mmHg, 21–24 mmHg and ≥25 mmHg. These subgroups were further divided according to their pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) with PVR <3 WU or ≥3 WU. Results One-hundred-twenty-two patients (79% female, age 57.6±12.7 years, 6MWD 439.5±98.1 meters, 70% diffuse cutaneous SSc, 30% limited cutaneous SSc, 53% WHO-FC II, 25% WHO-FC III) who were prospectively screened for PH were included in the analysis (Figure 1). Among them 26 had a symptomatic manifest PH using the cut-off value of mPAP ≥25 mmHg. Only half of this group presented with PVR ≥3 WU, the others had PVR <3 WU. Eight of these 26 PH-patients presented with PH due to left heart disease. Out of 21 patients with mildly elevated mPAP 21–24 mmHg, two (10%) met the new definition criteria of PH (pulmonary arterial wedge pressure <15 mmHg, mPAP 23 and 24 mmHg, PVR 3.0 and 3.2 WU, CI 2.2 L/min/m2 both, WHO-FC II both, respectively). Out of 75 patients with mPAP <21 mmHg, three presented with PVR ≥3 WU. Overview of systemic sclerosis patients Conclusions The new definition of precapillary pulmonary hypertension may on the one hand allow detecting an additional 10% of PH patients with mild elevated mPAP. On the other hand, eight of 13 patients (62%), who met the former definition of pulmonary arterial hypertension, would be classified as “normal” due to a lack of increase in PVR according to the new definition. The data of this study suggest that for SSc-patients the cut-off value of mPAP >20 mmHg is useful, but the criteria of PVR ≥3 WU may be too strict. Further studies with larger sample sizes will be needed to better characterise these hemodynamic subgroups and to define the extent of pulmonary vascular disease and treatability.


2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1701197 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Gerry Coghlan ◽  
Matthias Wolf ◽  
Oliver Distler ◽  
Christopher P. Denton ◽  
Martin Doelberg ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and determining factors in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and a diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) <60% predicted.In this bicentric, prospective cohort study, patients with SSc were clinically assessed at baseline and after 3 years, including right heart catheterisation (RHC). Analysis of determining factors for the development of PH was performed using univariate and multivariate analyses.96 patients with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) <25 mmHg at baseline were followed for 2.95±0.7 years (median 3 years). Of these, 71 had a second RHC; 18 of these 71 patients (25.3%) developed PH, and five (7%) developed SSc-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. For patients with an mPAP of 21–24 mmHg at baseline, the likelihood of presenting with PH as opposed to normal pressures on follow-up was significantly higher (p=0.026). Pulmonary vascular resistance, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, diffusion capacity and the size of the inferior vena cava at baseline were independent predictors for the development of PH during follow-up.In a selected cohort of SSc patients with a DLCO <60%, pulmonary pressures appeared to rise progressively during follow-up. In this population, it was possible to identify manifest PH in almost 25% of patients using prospective RHC during follow-up. Therefore, regular clinical assessment including RHC might be useful in patients with SSc.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (138) ◽  
pp. 665-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harrison W. Farber ◽  
Simon Gibbs

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) is the most common type of PH, but its natural history is not well understood. PH-LHD is diagnosed by right heart catheterisation with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥25 mmHg and a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >15 mmHg. The primary causes of PH-LHD are left ventricular dysfunction of systolic and diastolic origin, and valvular disease. Prognosis is poor and survival rates are low. Limited progress has been made towards specific therapies for PH-LHD, and management focuses on addressing the underlying cause of the disease with supportive therapies, surgery and pharmacological treatments. Clinical trials of therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with PH-LHD have thus far been limited and have provided disappointing or conflicting results. Robust, long-term clinical studies in appropriate target populations have the potential to improve the outlook for patients with PH-LHD. Herein, we discuss the knowledge gaps in our understanding of PH-LHD, and describe the current unmet needs and challenges that are faced by clinicians when identifying and managing patients with this disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Tanyeri ◽  
B Keskin ◽  
O Y Akbal ◽  
A Hakgor ◽  
A Karagoz ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and aim In this study we evaluated the impact of the updated pulmonary hypertension (PH) definitive criteria proposed in 6th World PH Symposium (WSPH) on numbers and frequencies of and pre- versus post-capillary PH as compared to those in European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2015 PH Guidelines. Methods Study group comprised the retrospectively evaluated 1299 patients (pts) (age 53.1±18.8 years, female 807, 62.1%) who underwent right heart catheterisation (RHC) with different indications between 2006 and 2018. For ESC and WSPH PH definitions, pulmonary arterial mean pressure (PAMP) ≥25 mmHg (definition-A) and PAMP >20 mmHg (definition-B) RHC criteria were used, respectively. For pre-capillary PH definitions, pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) ≤15 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) ≥3 Wood units criteria were included in the both definitions. Results In RHC assessments, PAMP ≥25 mmHg and >20 mmHg were noted in 891 (68.6%) and 1051 (80.9%) of overall pts, respectively. Moreover, pre-capillary PH was diagnosed in 284 (21.8%) and 298 (22.9%) with definition-A and B, respectively. Although updated WSPH definition was associated with a net 12.3% and a relative 18% increase in the overall PH diagnosis, net and relative changes in the frequency of the pre-capillary PH were only 1% and 4.9%. Increase in the overall PH with updated WSPH criterias compared to previous ESC definitions was associated with increase in the number of pre-capillary PH (n=298, 22.9%) but not in the overall frequency of post-capillary PH (688, 52.9%). Because PVR was the product of the transpulmonary gradient (PAMP minus PAWP) divided by cardiac output, this measure was found to keep specificity for distinction between pre- versus post-capillary PH even after lowering thetreshold diagnostic for PAMP from 25 to 20 mmHg. Conclusions Although updated WSPH definition was associated with net 12.3% and relative 18% increase in the overall PH diagnosis, its impact on frequencies of pre- versus post-capillary PH within overall PH population was negligible.These seem to be due to critical role of PVR ensuring specificity in pre-capillary PH diagnosis even after lowering the definitive PAMP treshold to 20 mmHg.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_K) ◽  
pp. K4-K8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gérald Simonneau ◽  
Marius M Hoeper

Abstract At the 6th World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension (PH), it was proposed that the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) threshold used to define PH should be lowered from ≥25 mmHg to &gt;20 mmHg. The rationale for this change is that the ≥25 mmHg threshold is arbitrary, whereas the revised threshold is based on scientific evidence. For the definition of all forms of pre-capillary PH, the inclusion of a pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) ≥3 Wood Units was also proposed, placing greater emphasis on an elevated PVR to identify pulmonary vascular disease. Here, we discuss the possible impact of the revised definition of PH on future clinical management. This change may facilitate earlier PH detection, particularly in at-risk patient groups that are already undergoing screening programmes, e.g. those with systemic sclerosis or mutations associated with PH. As an mPAP above the upper limit of normal (&gt;20 mmHg) but &lt;25 mmHg is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality compared with a normal mPAP, early identification of patients in this group is important to enable close monitoring and timely treatment initiation once clinically indicated. Treatments currently approved for PH are not necessarily suitable for patients with an mPAP 21–24 mmHg, as the management of this group has not been widely examined. The revised definition may facilitate inclusion of these patients in prospective trials, allowing the evaluation of appropriate management strategies.


Rheumatology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Spray ◽  
Josephine Vila ◽  
Bridget Griffiths

Abstract Background Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) are at risk of developing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a subtype of pulmonary hypertension (PH) which is not due to left-heart disease, chronic hypoxia or pulmonary arterial thrombus. The European Society of Cardiology recommends annual screening of patients with SSc due to the insidious presentation of PAH, poor outcomes, and the availability of effective treatments. Transthoracic echocardiography is the standard screening investigation, but NT pro-BNP, a biochemical marker of ventricular stretch, may be a cost-effective initial test with echocardiography reserved for patients with new or worsening symptoms or increasing NT pro-BNP. Our centre introduced NT pro-BNP as an adjunct to echocardiography in 2014. Methods We audited our SSc-PAH screening programme from 2009-2018 against the standard that every SSc patient should be screened annually with echocardiography or NT pro-BNP. Patients seen by the regional PH service prior to the first rheumatology clinic were excluded. We used our centre’s database of SSc patients and electronic patient records to determine if a patient had undergone PH screening. We calculated cost estimates from our hospital’s biochemistry and echocardiography departments. Results From 2009 to 2018, the number of SSc patients requiring annual screening rose from 81 to 215. In 2009, 65% of patients were screened - all with echocardiography. In 2018, 88% of patients were screened - 25% had an echocardiogram and 83% had a NT pro-BNP. 63% of patients were screened only through NT pro-BNP. Across the 1476 patient-years studied, only 6 new cases of PH were identified. PH was secondary to ILD in two cases, and true PAH in three cases (one patient refused diagnostic right-heart catheterisation). All three PAH diagnoses came from echocardiograms requested for worsening dyspnoea, so are not attributable to the screening programme. On 31 December 2018, 55% of these patients were taking phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) for severe Raynaud’s phenomenon (50% on sildenafil and 5% on tadalafil). 4% of patients were prescribed bosentan and 3% of patients were prescribed dual therapy with a PDE5i and bosentan. This may explain our centre’s low incidence of PAH. The annual cost of screening per patient has dropped from £82 in 2014 to £59 in 2018, and the total annual cost has plateaued since 2014, despite rising patient numbers and improved screening rates. Conclusion Since introducing NT pro-BNP alongside echocardiography as a screening tool for PAH in SSc patients, we spend less on our screening programme per patient and achieve higher screening rates. However, in 10 years, our screening programme has not detected any asymptomatic cases of PAH, raising questions about the necessity of screening asymptomatic SSc patients. Widespread PDE-5i use may contribute to the low incidence of PAH in our cohort. Disclosures L. Spray None. J. Vila None. B. Griffiths None.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 204589401984561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica H. Huston ◽  
Robert P. Frantz ◽  
Evan L. Brittain

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease that carries a poor prognosis. For 45 years, the definition of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mmHg, based on expert opinion. Recent data indicate that the mortality risk starts in the mPAP range of 21–24 mmHg, which has recently been reflected in the World Symposium on PH consensus document defining PH as a mPAP > 20 mmHg. The mortality associated with these lower levels of pulmonary pressures suggests that these values reflect a more advanced disease stage than previously recognized. It is unknown whether interventions targeting patients with mPAP values in the range of 21–24 mmHg in the absence of left ventricular or hypoxic lung disease are of clinical benefit. Here we present historical perspective on the hemodynamic definition of PH, discuss recent epidemiologic data, and outline obstacles to enrolling and evaluating response to therapy in mild PAH patients, as well as potentially useful study designs.


Author(s):  
K. Durga ◽  
S. Yuvarajan ◽  
R. Praveen ◽  
Antonious Maria Selvam ◽  
Yashoda . ◽  
...  

Pulmonary hypertension is defined as an increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg at rest as assessed by right heart catheterisation. Pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy is known to be associated with significantly high morbidity and mortality rate which ranges between 30% and 56%. So during pregnancy, efforts to be made to diagnose common medical ailments that can be complicated by pulmonary hypertension. Bedside 2D Echo and thoracic ultrasound are the strongly recommended in these patients to diagnose early and prevent the devastating complications. Relevant blood investigations need to be sent to diagnose the underlying etiology and to assess the prognosis. Cardiac catheterization is the gold standard investigation of choice for pulmonary hypertension. But it is 1 performed in very few cardiac centres in developing countries. In India diagnosis largely depends on echocardiography. It should be made clear to women at the time of their PAH diagnosis that pregnancy is not recommended due to the high maternal and fetal risks. If a woman with known PHT become pregnant, counselling should be given for therapeutic abortion. If they are willing for therapeutic abortion, it should be done before 22 weeks of gestation. All women with PHT should be initiated on PAH specific therapies (prostanoids, ccbs, phosphodiesterase inhibitors) except endothelin receptor blockers as it is teratogenic. Pregnancy in PAH is difficult to manage and needs mutidisciplanary team. Pregnancy is not recommended in women with PAH and appropriate counselling to be done to the mother and their relatives. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 370-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiota Xanthouli ◽  
Suzana Jordan ◽  
Nicklas Milde ◽  
Alberto Marra ◽  
Norbert Blank ◽  
...  

BackgroundIn this study, we investigated the impact of the new haemodynamic definition of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) as proposed by the 6th PH World Symposium on phenotypes and survival in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).MethodsIn SSc patients who were prospectively and consecutively screened for PAH including right heart catheterisation in Heidelberg or Zurich, haemodynamic and clinical variables have been reassessed according to the new PAH definition. Patients have been followed for 3.7±3.7 (median 3.4) years; Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. Patients with significant lung or left heart disease were excluded from comparative analyses.ResultsThe final dataset included 284 SSc patients, 146 patients (49.2%) had mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≤20 mm Hg, 19.3% had mPAP 21–24 mm Hg and 29.4% had mPAP ≥25 mm Hg. In the group of mildly elevated mPAP, only four patients (1.4% of the whole SSc cohort) had pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) values ≥3 Wood Units (WU) and could be reclassified as manifest SSc-APAH. Twenty-eight (9.8%) patients with mPAP of 21–24 mm Hg and PVR ≥2 WU already presented with early pulmonary vascular disease with decreased 6 min walking distance (6MWD) (p<0.001), TAPSE (p=0.004) and pulmonary arterial compliance (p<0.001). A PVR ≥2 WU was associated with reduced long-term survival (p=0.002). PVR and 6MWD were independent prognostic predictors in multivariate analysis.ConclusionThe data of this study show that a PVR threshold ≥3 WU is too high to enable an early diagnosis of PAH. A PVR threshold ≥2 WU was already associated with pulmonary vascular disease, significantly reduced survival and would be more appropriate in SSc patients with mild PAH.


2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1390-1396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svenja L. Tiede ◽  
Henning Gall ◽  
Oliver Dörr ◽  
Marina dos Santos Guilherme ◽  
Christian Troidl ◽  
...  

This study aimed to determine whether the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members soluble VEGF receptor 1 (also called soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1)) and placental growth factor (PlGF) could be used as biomarkers for pulmonary hypertension (PH).Consecutive patients undergoing right heart catheterisation were enrolled (those with mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥25 mmHg were classed as having PH; those with mean pulmonary arterial pressure <25 mmHg acted as non-PH controls). Plasma from the time of PH diagnosis was analysed for PlGF and sFlt-1 using enzyme immunoassays.In total, 247 patients with PH were enrolled: 62 with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), 14 with associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (APAH), 21 with collagen vascular disease (CVD), 26 with pulmonary venous hypertension, 67 with lung disease-associated PH and 57 with chronic thromboembolic PH. The non-PH control group consisted of 40 patients. sFlt-1 plasma levels were significantly higher in patients with IPAH, APAH, CVD and lung disease-associated PH versus controls; PlGF levels were significantly higher in all PH groups versus controls. The combination of sFlt-1 and PlGF resulted in a sensitivity of 83.7% with specificity of 100% for pulmonary arterial hypertension. There was no association between sFlt-1 or PlGF and haemodynamic parameters, 6-min walking distance or survival.In summary, PlGF and sFlt-1 are promising diagnostic biomarkers for PH.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document