scholarly journals Screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension in an unselected prospective systemic sclerosis cohort

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1602275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Els Vandecasteele ◽  
Benny Drieghe ◽  
Karin Melsens ◽  
Kristof Thevissen ◽  
Michel De Pauw ◽  
...  

Screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) improves outcomes. The DETECT screening algorithm is recommended in a high-risk SSc subgroup. This study aims to compare prospectively the positive predictive value of screening using the DETECT algorithm and the 2009 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) guidelines, and to compare their cost-effectiveness in an unselected, day-to-day SSc population. Post hoc, screening according to the 2015 ESC/ERS guidelines using echocardiographic parameters alone (“2015 echo screening”) or combined with the DETECT algorithm (“2015 combined screening”) in high-risk subjects was analysed.195 consecutive SSc patients included in the Ghent University Hospital SSc cohort were screened using different algorithms.The referral rate for right heart catheterisation was 32% (63 out of 195 patients) (46/4/13/34/40 patients using the DETECT algorithm/2009 guidelines/both/2015 echo screening/2015 combined screening). Right heart catheterisation was performed in 53 patients (84%) (36 (78%)/four (100%)/13 (100%)/28 (82%)/32 (80%) patients recommended by the DETECT algorithm/2009 guidelines/both/2015 echo screening/2015 combined screening). PAH was diagnosed in three patients (incidence 1.5%·year–1, 95% CI 0.5–4.4), in whom all algorithms recommended a right heart catheterisation. The positive predictive value was 6% (95% CI 2–17%; three out of 49 patients) for the DETECT algorithm, 18% (95% CI 6–41%; three out of 17 patients) for the 2009 guidelines, 23% (95% CI 8–50%; three out of 13 patients) for both, 11% (95% CI 4–27%; three out of 28 patients) for the 2015 echo screening and 9% (95% CI 3–24%; three out of 32 patients) for the 2015 combined screening. The cost was EUR224/80/90/112 per patient using the DETECT algorithm/2009 guidelines/2015 echo screening/2015 combined screening.Echocardiography may remain a candidate first step for PAH screening in SSc.

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-230
Author(s):  
Yon K. Sung ◽  
Roham T. Zamanian ◽  
Catriona A. Wagner ◽  
William Robinson ◽  
Virginia Steen ◽  
...  

Introduction Non-invasive biomarkers are needed to identify pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients who may benefit from early intervention. We sought to identify novel cytokines that differentiate patients with incident SSc-PAH from those at high risk for PAH. Methods The Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and Recognition of Outcomes in Scleroderma (PHAROS) Registry is a multicenter registry of SSc patients at high risk for PAH (at-risk) or with incident right-heart catheterization-confirmed PAH (definite PAH). Serum from 10 at-risk and 9 definite PAH patients were profiled with Bio-PlexTM bead arrays for 48 cytokines and chemokines. We also evaluated the longitudinal change in cytokine profiles from 3 at-risk patients who subsequently developed definite PAH. Results Clinical features of at-risk versus definite PAH patients were not significantly different except for right-ventricular systolic pressure on echocardiogram (34 ± 7 vs. 45 ± 8 mmHg, p = 0.006), left atrial diameter (2.9 ± 0.5 vs. 3.7 ± 0.4 cm, p = 0.02), 6-minute walk distance (508 ± 115 vs. 393 ± 70 m, p = 0.02), mean pulmonary artery pressure (18 ± 4 vs. 32 ± 6 mmHg, p = 0.01), and pulmonary vascular resistance (111 ± 48 vs. 272 ± 109 dyn/s/cm5, p = 0.009). Serum cytokine profiling identified hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) as the only cytokine significantly different between the at-risk and definite PAH groups (225.8 ± 55.0 vs. 361.6 ± 164.5 pg/mL, q<0.1%). Profiling of longitudinal samples of at-risk to definite PAH patients did not identify any significant changes in HGF or other cytokines over time. Conclusions Definite PAH patients expressed higher levels of HGF than at-risk patients. Further studies are needed to clarify the utility of HGF as a predictive biomarker for SSc-PAH.


2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 1706-1711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Gladue ◽  
Virginia Steen ◽  
Yannick Allanore ◽  
Rajeev Saggar ◽  
Rajan Saggar ◽  
...  

Objective.To evaluate routinely collected non-invasive tests from 2 systemic sclerosis (SSc) cohorts to determine their predictive value alone and in combination versus right heart catheterization (RHC)-confirmed pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).Methods.We evaluated 2 cohorts of patients who were at risk or with incident PAH: (1) The Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and Recognition Outcomes in Scleroderma (PHAROS) cohort and (2) an inception SSc cohort at Cochin Hospital, Paris, France. Estimated right ventricular systolic pressure (eRVSP) as determined by transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and pulmonary function test (PFT) measures was evaluated, and the predictive values determined. We then evaluated patients with PAH missed on TTE cutoffs that were subsequently identified by a PFT measure.Results.In the PHAROS cohort (n = 206), 59 (29%) had RHC-defined PAH. An eRVSP threshold of 35–50 mm Hg failed to diagnose PAH in 7% to 31% of patients, 50% to 70% of which (n = 2–13) were captured by PFT measures. In the Cochin cohort (n = 141), 10 (7%) patients had RHC confirmed PAH. An eRVSP threshold of 35–50 mm Hg missed 0% to 70% (n = 0–7) of patients, of which 0% to 68% (n = 0–6) were met by PFT measures. The combination of TTE and PFT improved the negative predictive value for diagnosing PAH.Conclusion.In 2 large SSc cohorts, screening with TTE and PFT captured a majority of patients with PAH. TTE and PFT complement each other for the diagnosis of PAH.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
HERMAN M.A. HOFSTEE ◽  
ALEXANDRE E. VOSKUYL ◽  
ANTON VONK NOORDEGRAAF ◽  
YVO M. SMULDERS ◽  
PIET E. POSTMUS ◽  
...  

Objective.Impaired microvascular function may contribute to organ complications in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We investigated whether SSc patients with and without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) show a graded impairment of microvascular function compared to healthy controls.Methods.Twenty-two patients with SSc and 22 controls were studied. All patients underwent right heart catheterization; 6 had no PAH (SSc-nonPAH) and 16 had PAH (SSc-PAH). Acetylcholine (ACh)-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-mediated endothelium-independent vasodilatation were assessed by iontophoresis combined with laser Doppler flowmetry.Results.Compared to sex- and age-matched controls, ACh-mediated vasodilatation was reduced in SSc-PAH (340.4% vs 79.5%, respectively; p < 0.01), but not in SSc-nonPAH (340.4% vs 397.9%; p = 0.90). No significant differences were present between the groups in SNP-mediated vasodilatation.Conclusion.Systemic microvascular endothelium-dependent vasodilatation is markedly reduced in SSc complicated by PAH.


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