BackgroundPulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) therapy, and balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) are currently accepted therapies for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). This international CTEPH registry identifies clinical characteristics of patients, diagnostic algorithms, and treatment decisions in a global context.Methods1010 newly diagnosed consecutive patients were included into the registry between February 2015 and September 2016. Diagnosis was confirmed by right heart catheterisation, ventilation-perfusion lung scan, computerised pulmonary angiography, and/or invasive pulmonary angiography after at least 3 months on anticoagulation.ResultsOverall, 649 patients (64.3%) were considered for PEA, 193 (19.1%) for BPA, 20 (2.0%) for both PEA and BPA and 148 (14.7%) for PAH therapy only. Reasons for PEA inoperability: technical inaccessibility (n=235), co-morbidities (n=63), and patient refusal (n=44). In Europe, America and other countries (AAO), 72% of patients were deemed suitable for PEA whereas in Japan, 70% of patients were offered BPA as first choice. Gender was evenly balanced, except in Japan where 75% of patients were female. A history of acute pulmonary embolism was reported for 65.6% of patients. At least one PAH therapy was initiated in 35.8% of patients (26.2% of PEA candidates, 54.5% of BPA candidates, and 54.1% of those not eligible for either PEA or BPA). At the time of analysis, 39 patients (3.9%) had died of PH-related causes (3.5% after PEA and 1.8% after BPA).ConclusionsThe registry revealed noticeable differences in patient characteristics (rates of pulmonary embolism and gender) and therapeutic approaches in Japan compared with Europe and AAO.