Ratio of Mixed Venous Oxygen Saturation-to-Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure: Insights From the Veterans Affairs Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking Program

Background: Hemodynamic values from right heart catheterization aid diagnosis and clinical decision-making but may not predict outcomes. Mixed venous oxygen saturation percentage and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure relate to cardiac output and congestion, respectively. We theorized that a novel, simple ratio of these measurements could estimate cardiovascular prognosis. Methods: We queried Veterans Affairs’ databases for clinical, hemodynamic, and outcome data. Using the index right heart catheterization between 2010 and 2016, we calculated the ratio of mixed venous oxygen saturation-to-pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, termed ratio of saturation-to-wedge (RSW). The primary outcome was time to all-cause mortality; secondary outcome was 1-year urgent heart failure presentation. Patients were stratified into quartiles of RSW, Fick cardiac index (CI), thermodilution CI, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure alone. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models related comparators with outcomes. Results: Of 12 019 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 9826 had values to calculate RSW (median 4.00, interquartile range, 2.67–6.05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed early, sustained separation by RSW strata. Cox modeling estimated that increasing RSW by 50% decreases mortality hazard by 19% (estimated hazard ratio, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.79–0.83], P <0.001) and secondary outcome hazard by 28% (hazard ratio, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.70–0.74], P <0.001). Among the 3793 patients with data for all comparators, Cox models showed RSW best associated with outcomes (by both C statistics and Bayes factors). Furthermore, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was superior to thermodilution CI and Fick CI. Multivariable adjustment attenuated without eliminating the association of RSW with outcomes. Conclusions: In a large national database, RSW was superior to conventional right heart catheterization indices at assessing risk of mortality and urgent heart failure presentation. This simple calculation with routine data may contribute to clinical decision-making in this population.

Echocardiographic probability of pulmonary hypertension: a validation study

BackgroundAccording to current guidelines, the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) relies on echocardiographic probability followed by right heart catheterization. How echocardiography predicts PH recently re-defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >20 mmHg instead of ≥25 mmHg and pulmonary vascular disease defined by a pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) >3 or >2 Wood units has not been established.MethodsA total of 278 patients referred for PH underwent a comprehensive echocardiography followed by a right heart catheterization. Fifteen patients (5.4%) were excluded because of insufficient quality echocardiography.ResultsWith PH defined by a mPAP >20 mmHg, 23 patients had no PH, 146 had pre-capillary and 94 post-capillary PH. At univariate analysis, maximum velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (TRV) ≥2.9 and ≤3.4 m s−1, left ventricle (LV) eccentricity index >1.1, right ventricle (RV) outflow tract (OT) notching or acceleration time <105 ms, RV-LV basal diameter >1 and PA diameter predicted PH, whereas inferior vena cava diameter and right atrial area did not. At multivariable analysis, only TRV ≥2.9 m s−1 independently predicted PH. Additional independent prediction of PVR >3 Wood units was offered by LV eccentricity index >1.1 and RVOT acceleration time <105 ms and/or notching, but with no improvement of optimal combination of specificity and sensibility or positive prediction.ConclusionsEchocardiography as recommended in current guidelines can be used to assess the probability of re-defined PH in a referral center. However, the added value of indirect signs is modest and sufficient quality echocardiographic signals may not be recovered in some patients.

Circulating sLR11 levels predict severity of pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease

Background Heart failure is a severe condition often involving pulmonary hypertension (PH). Soluble low-density lipoprotein receptor with 11 ligand-binding repeats (sLR11) has been associated with pulmonary artery hypertension. We examined whether sLR11 correlates with PH in left heart disease and can be used as a predictive marker. Method We retrospectively analyzed patients with severe mitral regurgitation who underwent right heart catheterization before surgery for valve replacement or valvuloplasty from November 2005 to October 2012 at Juntendo University. We measured sLR11 levels before right heart catheterization and analyzed correlations with pulmonary hemodynamics. We compared prognoses between a group with normal sLR11 (≤9.4 ng/ml) and a group with high sLR11 (>9.4 ng/ml). Follow-up was continued for 5 years, with end points of hospitalization due to HF and death due to cardiovascular disease. Results Among 34 patients who met the inclusion criteria, sLR11 correlated with mean pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.54, p<0.001), transpulmonary pressure gradient (r = 0.42, p = 0.012), pulmonary vascular resistance (r = 0.36, p<0.05), and log brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). However, logBNP did not correlate with pulmonary vascular resistance (p = 0.6). Levels of sLR11 were significantly higher in the 10 patients with PH (14.4±4.3 ng/ml) than in patients without PH (9.9±3.9 ng/ml; p = 0.002). At 5 years, the event rate was higher in the high-sLR11 group than in the normal-sLR11 group. The high-sLR11 group showed 5 hospitalizations due to HF (25.0%) and 2 deaths (10.0%), whereas the normal-sLR11 group showed no hospitalizations or deaths. Analyses using receiver operating characteristic curves showed a higher area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) for sLR11 level (AUC = 0.85; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.72–0.98) than for BNP (AUC = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.62–0.99) in the diagnosis of PH in left heart disease. Conclusions Concentration of sLR11 is associated with severity of PH and offers a strong predictor of severe mitral regurgitation in patients after surgery.

An autopsy case of pulmonary arterial hypertension in an elderly patient with multimorbidity: a case report

Background There is an increasing number of elderly patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and their characteristics differ from those of young or middle-aged patients with this condition. Case Summary A 73-year-old woman with a history of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular risk factors was admitted to the hospital with 2-week exertional dyspnoea. Her initial diagnosis was heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, but the symptoms persisted despite receiving treatment with diuretics. Additional tests showed a significant decrease in diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide and findings suggestive of severe pulmonary hypertension. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the chest, and pulmonary angiography, showed no narrowing or obstruction of the pulmonary arteries. Right heart catheterization revealed hemodynamic data implying pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension. Her condition gradually deteriorated to World Health Organization functional class IV, and sequential combination therapy with tadalafil, macitentan, and selexipag was initiated with a pulmonary arterial hypertension diagnosis; however, she died 1 month later. Pathological findings in autopsy were consistent with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and some parts of the lungs revealed the presence of obstructive and interstitial lung disease. Discussion The majority of elderly patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension might have multimorbidity. However, there is no specific treatment strategy. It is associated with diagnostic delay and worse prognosis; therefore, early suspicion and comprehensive tests, including right heart catheterization, are essential for better management.

Serum Markers of Cardiac Complications In a Systemic Sclerosis Cohort

Background: Primary cardiac involvement is one of the leading causes of mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc), but little is known regarding circulating biomarkers for cardiac SSc. Here, we aimed to investigate potential associations between cardiac SSc and candidate serum markers.Methods: Serum samples from patients of the Oslo University SSc cohort and 100 healthy controls were screened against two custom-made candidate marker panels containing molecules deemed relevant for cardiopulmonary and/or fibrotic diseases. Left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction was assessed by protocol echocardiography, performed within three years from serum sampling. Patients suspected of pulmonary hypertension underwent right heart catheterization. Vital status at study end was available for all patients. Descriptive analyses, logistic and Cox regressions were conducted to assess associations between cardiac SSc and candidate serum markers. Results: The 371 patients presented an average age of 57.2 (± 13.9) years. Female sex (84%) and limited cutaneous SSc (73%) were predominant. Association between LV diastolic dysfunction and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) (OR 0.41, 95%CI 0.21-0.78, p=0.007) was identified. LV systolic dysfunction defined by global longitudinal strain was associated with angiopoietin 2 (ANGPT2) (OR 3.42, 95%CI 1.52-7.71, p=0.003) and osteopontin (OPN) (OR 1.95, 95%CI 1.08-3.52, p=0.026). RV systolic dysfunction, measured by tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, was associated to markers of LV dysfunction (ANGPT2, OPN, and TRAIL) (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.11-2.50, p=0.014, OR 1.86, 95%CI 1.25-2.77, p=0.002, OR 0.32, 95%CI 0.15-0.66, p=0.002, respectively) and endostatin (OR 1.86, 95%CI 1.22-2.84, p=0.004).Conclusion: ANGPT2, OPN and TRAIL seem to be circulating biomarkers associated with both LV and RV dysfunction in SSc.

Poor Tricuspid Regurgitation Signal on Echocardiogram: How Does It Correlate with Pulmonary Artery Pressure as Measured by Right Heart Catheterization?

BackgroundTricuspid Regurgitation (TR) gradient on echocardiogram is used to approximate pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) on echocardiography. A common dilemma is encountered when PAP measurement is indeterminate due to poor TR signal. We hypothesized that patients with poor TR signal would be unlikely to have pulmonary hypertension (PH) on right heart catheterization (RHC). MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of 141 patients who underwent RHC and had a corresponding echocardiogram showing poor TR signal within 2 months of RHC. A cutoff of 25 mm Hg was used as the upper limit of normal to define PH. ResultsFifty percent of patients had mean PAP (mPAP) greater than 25 mm Hg. 82% of values were 35 mm Hg or below. ConclusionsPoor TR signal does not rule out PH but may indicate lower likelihood of severe PH.