Management and outcomes in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: From expert centers to a nationwide perspective

Diagnosis and Treatment Patterns of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia: A Registry Study

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in countries with limited resources have, to date, been poorly represented in registries.

OBJECTIVE

This work assesses the epidemiology, diagnosis, hemodynamic and functional parameters, and treatment of CTEPH in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A prospective, cohort, phase IV, observational registry with 3-year follow-up (n = 212) in patients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with CTEPH was created. Clinical, hemodynamic, and functional parameters were obtained at an initial visit, follow-up visits, and a final visit at the end of 3 years' observation or end of follow-up. Data were recorded on electronic case report forms. Parameters evaluated included 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), use of pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), pulmonary hypertension (PH)-targeted therapy, and survival. All statistical analyses were exploratory and descriptive, and were performed in the overall population.

RESULTS

The most common symptoms were typical of those expected for CTEPH. Almost 90% of patients underwent right heart catheterization at diagnosis or initial study visit. In total, 66 patients (31%) underwent PEA before the initial visit; 95 patients (45%) were considered operable, 115 (54%) were inoperable, and two (1%) had no operability data. Only 26 patients (12%) had been assessed for BPA at their initial visit. PH-targeted therapy was documented at diagnosis for 77 patients (36%), most commonly a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (23%). Use of PH-targeted therapy increased to 142 patients (67%) at the initial visit, remaining similar after 3 years. Use of riociguat increased from 6% of patients at diagnosis to 38% at 3 years. Between baseline and end of observation, results for patients with paired data showed an increase in 6MWD. Survival at the end of observation was 88%.

CONCLUSIONS

These data highlight the current diagnosis and management of CTEPH in the participating countries. They show that early CTEPH diagnosis remains challenging, and use of off-label PH-targeted therapy is common.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov: NCT02637050; registered December 2015.

Sex-specific differences in sleep-disordered breathing and nocturnal hypoxemia in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease

Objective

Although chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) are known to be accompanied by symptoms associated with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and nocturnal hypoxemia, the sex-specific differences of SDB and nocturnal hypoxemia in patients with CTEPH and CTEPD remain unknown.

Methods

Between July 2020 and August 2022, data were retrieved from 57 males and 63 female patients with CTEPH and CTEPD who underwent sleep study at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. Nocturnal mean SpO₂ (mean SpO₂) < 90% was defined as nocturnal hypoxemia. Logistic and linear regression analysis was performed to assess the predictive value of sleep study indices to hemodynamic parameters. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to analyze the specific parameters to predict the risk of CTEPH.

Results

SDB was similarly present in males and females, and both sexes predominantly had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); more women were diagnosed with nocturnal hypoxemia (32 vs. 7%, p = 0.002). SaO₂ was negatively associated with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) in men (p < 0.001), whereas the ratio of nocturnal SpO₂ < 90% of the total monitoring time (T90%) was positively correlated with mPAP. Mean SpO₂ was an independent predictor for pulmonary vascular resistance and cardiac output in women (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, respectively). T90%, SaO₂, and minimal SpO₂ were combined to develop a new composite parameter: hypoxemia scoring index (HSI). ROC curve analysis indicated that HSI levels of 0.55 could discriminate CTEPH from CTEPD with a sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 87.5% in female patients (an area under the curve, 0.937; 95% CI: 0.879–0.995, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Sex-specific nocturnal hypoxemia was present in patients with CTEPH or CTEPD. In female patients, the HSI showed high capacity for predicting the risk of CTEPH.

Clinical trials registration

Registry: chictr.org.cn; Identifier: ChiCTR-DDD-16009406.

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) is the gold standard treatment for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). However, the results are poorly quantified outside a few registry reports and several individual centers.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed searching five electronic databases assessing the outcomes for adult patients undergoing PTE for CTEPH. All articles that reported mortality data were included. Primary outcome measures were early/inpatient mortality; secondary outcomes were survival, pulmonary haemodynamics, morbidity and functional status following PTE for CTEPH. Results were pooled via a meta-analysis of proportions and meta-regression.

RESULTS

A total of 5,717 studies were identified, yielding sixty-one relevant papers. Thirty-day mortality ranged from 0.8% to 24.4%, and on meta-analysis was 8.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.2-9.6%]. Mortality was noted to decrease with increasing center volume of PTE cases (P<0.01). Residual pulmonary hypertension was reported in 8.2% to 44.5% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

CTEPH is associated with acceptable short-term mortality and an improvement in pulmonary hemodynamics. With increasing volume of experience and ongoing developments over time peri-operative mortality continues to decrease.

CMR Measures of Left Atrial Volume Index and Right Ventricular Function Have Prognostic Value in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Providing prognostic information is important when counseling patients and planning treatment strategies in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of gold standard imaging of cardiac structure and function using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in CTEPH. Consecutive treatment-naive patients with CTEPH who underwent right heart catheterization and CMR between 2011 and 2017 were identified from the ASPIRE (Assessing-the-Specturm-of-Pulmonary-hypertensIon-at-a-REferral-center) registry. CMR metrics were corrected for age and sex where appropriate. Univariate and multivariate regression models were generated to assess the prognostic ability of CMR metrics in CTEPH. Three hundred and seventy-five patients (mean+/-standard deviation: age 64+/-14 years, 49% female) were identified and 181 (48%) had pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). For all patients with CTEPH, left-ventricular-stroke-volume-index-%predicted (LVSVI%predicted) (p = 0.040), left-atrial-volume-index (LAVI) (p = 0.030), the presence of comorbidities, incremental shuttle walking test distance (ISWD), mixed venous oxygen saturation and undergoing PEA were independent predictors of mortality at multivariate analysis. In patients undergoing PEA, LAVI (p < 0.010), ISWD and comorbidities and in patients not undergoing surgery, right-ventricular-ejection-fraction-%predicted (RVEF%pred) (p = 0.040), age and ISWD were independent predictors of mortality. CMR metrics reflecting cardiac function and left heart disease have prognostic value in CTEPH. In those undergoing PEA, LAVI predicts outcome whereas in patients not undergoing PEA RVEF%pred predicts outcome. This study highlights the prognostic value of imaging cardiac structure and function in CTEPH and the importance of considering left heart disease in patients considered for PEA.

Complications associated with peripherally inserted central catheters and Hickman™ in patients with advanced pulmonary hypertension treated with intravenous prostanoids

BACKGROUND

Epoprostenol requires continuous infusion and may lead to catheter-related complications. Evidence regarding the comparison between peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) or tunneled central catheters in Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is scarce. We sought to study the incidence of mechanical and infectious complications associated with PICC and Hickman catheters in patients with PH under epoprostenol treatment.

METHODS

This is a single-center retrospective study of patients with PH who received continuous treatment with intravenous epoprostenol for at least 24 h between January 2010 and July 2020. Mechanical and infectious complications were analyzed according to the catheter type: PICC and Hickman. The incidence of catheter-related complications was calculated per 1000 exposure-days of risk.

RESULTS

175 catheters were implanted in 109 patients, of which 100 (57.1%) were Hickman and 75 (42.9%) were PICC. After a median follow-up of 334 [130-798] days, there were no differences in the rates of local (0.22 vs 0.21; p = 0.904) or blood-stream infections (0.13 vs 0.21; p = 0.405). Mechanical complications were more frequent in the PICC group (0.98 vs 0.23 p=<0.001), including venous thrombosis (0.16 vs 0.00 p = 0.003) and catheter occlusion (0.66 vs 0.04 p=<0.001). These complications were associated with a greater need for hospitalization (1.48 vs 0.50; p=<0.001), without differences in mortality during follow-up (0.33 vs 0.21; p = 0.288).

CONCLUSION

In patients with PH treated with intravenous epoprostenol, both Hickman and PICC catheters were associated with high rate of complications. Although there were no differences in the frequency of infectious-related complications, PICC was associated with a higher frequency of catheter occlusion and deep venous thrombosis.

Epidemiology and Management of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension in Greece. Real-World Data from the Hellenic Pulmonary Hypertension Registry (HOPE)

Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare disease with poor prognosis if left untreated, characterized by pulmonary vascular bed obstruction due to unresolving thromboembolic material. The Hellenic pulmonary hypertension registry (HOPE) was launched in Greece in early 2015 and enrolls patients from all pulmonary hypertension subgroups in Greece. In total, 98 patients with CTEPH were enrolled from January 2015 until November 2019. Of these patients, 55.1% represented incident population, 50% were classified in the World Health Organization functional class II and 49% had a history of acute pulmonary embolism. The median values of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and cardiac index were 7.4 (4.8) WU and 2.4 (1.0) L/min/m², respectively, the mean diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was 74.8 ± 20.6%, the median 6-minute walk distance was 347 (220) meters and the median value of N Terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide was 506.0 (1450.0) pg/mL. In total, 60.2% of the patients were under pulmonary arterial hypertension-targeted therapy at the time of enrolment; specifically, riociguat was received by 35.7% of the patients and combination therapy was the preferred strategy for 16% of the patients. In total, 74 patients were evaluated for pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), 34 (45.9%) were assessed as operable but only 23 of those (31.1%) finally underwent PEA. The remaining 40 patients were ineligible for PEA according to the operability assessment and 13 (17.6%) of them underwent balloon pulmonary angioplasty. The age of the non-operable patients was significantly higher than the operable patients (p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference with regard to the history of coagulopathies between the operable and non-operable patients (p = 0.33).

Risk prediction in medically treated chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

BACKGROUND

At present, there is no generally accepted comprehensive prognostic risk prediction model for medically treated chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients.

METHODS

Consecutive medically treated CTEPH patients were enrolled in a national multicenter prospective registry study from August 2009 to July 2018. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to derive the prognostic model, and a simplified risk score was created thereafter. Model performance was evaluated in terms of discrimination and calibration, and compared to the Swedish/COMPERA risk stratification method. Internal and external validation were conducted to validate the model performance.

RESULTS

A total of 432 patients were enrolled. During a median follow-up time of 38.73 months (IQR: 20.79, 66.10), 94 patients (21.8%) died. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival estimates were 95.5%, 83.7%, and 70.9%, respectively. The final model included the following variables: the Swedish/COMPERA risk stratum (low-, intermediate- or high-risk stratum), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR, ≤ or > 1600 dyn·s/cm5), total bilirubin (TBIL, ≤ or > 38 µmol/L) and chronic kidney disease (CKD, no or yes). Compared with the Swedish/COMPERA risk stratification method alone, both the derived model [C-index: 0.715; net reclassification improvement (NRI): 0.300; integrated discriminatory index (IDI): 0.095] and the risk score (C-index: 0.713; NRI: 0.300; IDI: 0.093) showed improved discriminatory power. The performance was validated in a validation cohort of 84 patients (C-index = 0.707 for the model and 0.721 for the risk score).

CONCLUSIONS

A novel risk stratification strategy can serve as a useful tool for determining prognosis and guide management for medically treated CTEPH patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT01417338).

Incidence of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is complex, and the modality of treatment is surgery and targeted medication. Patients with CTEPH could have a poor prognosis if their diagnosis or treatment is delayed. The incidence of CTEPH and its clinical features are largely unknown in Taiwan, even among other Asian populations. In this study, we aimed to investigate the geodemographics of CTEPH in Taiwan and describe the practical management and treatment outcomes in patients with CTEPH.

METHODS

This study retrospectively enrolled patients in the Taiwan cohort - Registry of CTEPH. The study was conducted over 2 years inclusive of follow-up. The enrolment criteria depended on the current global guideline.

RESULTS

From January 2018 to March 2020, 107 CTEPH patients enrolled in the Taiwan registry. All patients received right heart catheterisation examinations. The overall median age was 61.4 ± 16.5 years, and the cohort was dominated by female patients (75/107). Risk factors included pulmonary embolism (81.3%), deep vein thrombosis (22.4%), and previous major surgery (20.6%). Twenty-one (19.6%) patients underwent pulmonary endarterectomy operation alone, and 38 (35.5%) patients underwent balloon pulmonary angioplasty alone.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first national cohort study that demonstrated the raw CTEPH incidence in Taiwan. It also showed the CTEPH incidence between male and female patients in the Asian population was different from the Caucasian population.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in the era of modern therapeutic approaches: data from the Polish multicenter registry (BNP-PL)

Background:

Significant achievements in the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have provided effective therapeutic options for most patients. However, the true impact of the changed landscape of CTEPH therapies on patients’ management and outcomes is poorly known. We aimed to characterize the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of CTEPH patients in the modern era of CTEPH therapies.

Methods:

We analyzed the data of CTEPH adults enrolled in the prospective multicenter registry.

Results:

We enrolled 516 patients aged 63.8 ± 15.4 years. The incidence rate of CTEPH was 3.96 per million adults per year. The group was burdened with several comorbidities. New oral anticoagulants (n = 301; 58.3%) were preferred over vitamin K antagonists (n = 159; 30.8%). Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) was performed in 120 (23.3%) patients and balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in 258 (50%) patients. PEA was pretreated with targeted pharmacotherapy in 19 (15.8%) patients, and BPA in 124 (48.1%) patients. Persistent CTEPH was present in 46% of PEA patients and in 65% of patients after completion of BPA. Persistent CTEPH after PEA was treated with targeted pharmacotherapy in 72% and with BPA in 27.7% of patients. At a mean time period of 14.3 ± 5.8 months, 26 patients had died. The use of PEA or BPA was associated with better survival than the use of solely medical treatment.

Conclusions:

The modern population of CTEPH patients comprises mostly elderly people significantly burdened with comorbid conditions. This calls for treatment decisions that are tailored individually for every patient. The combination of two or three methods is currently a frequent approach in the treatment of CTEPH.

Clinical Trial Registration:

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03959748

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

OBJECTIVE

The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase 3 randomized trials. The EXPosurE Registry RiociguaT in patients with pulmonary hypertension (EXPERT) study was designed to monitor the long-term safety of riociguat in clinical practice.

METHODS

EXPERT was an international, multicenter, prospective, uncontrolled, non-interventional cohort study of patients treated with riociguat. Patients were followed for at least 1 year and up to 4 years from enrollment or until 30 days after stopping riociguat treatment. Primary safety outcomes were adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) coded using Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities preferred terms and System Organ Classes version 21.0, collected during routine clinic visits and collated via case report forms.

RESULTS

In total, 956 patients with CTEPH were included in the analysis. The most common AEs in these patients were peripheral edema/edema (11.7%), dizziness (7.5%), right ventricular (RV)/cardiac failure (7.7%), and pneumonia (5.0%). The most common SAEs were RV/cardiac failure (7.4%), pneumonia (4.1%), dyspnea (3.6%), and syncope (2.5%). Exposure-adjusted rates of hemoptysis/pulmonary hemorrhage and hypotension were low and comparable to those in the long-term extension study of riociguat (Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Soluble Guanylate Cyclase-Stimulator Trial [CHEST-2]).

CONCLUSION

Data from EXPERT show that in patients with CTEPH, the safety of riociguat in routine practice was consistent with the known safety profile of the drug, and no new safety concerns were identified.

Prognostic importance of Kidney, Heart and Interstitial lung diseases (KHI triad) in PH: A machine learning study

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a heterogeneous, severe and progressive disease with an impact on quality of life and life-expectancy despite specific therapies.

AIMS

(i) to compare prognosis significance of each PH subgroup in a cohort from a referral center, (ii) to identify phenotypically distinct high-risk PH patient using machine learning.

METHODS

Patients with PH were included from 2002 to 2019 and routinely followed-up. We collected clinical, laboratory, imaging and hemodynamic variables. Four-year survival rate of each subgroups was then compared. Next, phenotypic domains were imputed with 5 eigenvectors for missing values and filtered if the Pearson correlation coefficient was>0.6. Thereafter, agglomerative hierarchical clustering was used for grouping phenotypic variables and patients: a heat map was generated and participants were separated using Penalized Model-Based Clustering. P<0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

328 patients were prospectively included (mean age 63±18 yo, 46% male). PH secondary to left heart disease (PH-LHD) and lung disease (PH-LD) had a significantly increased mortality compared to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients: HR=2.43, 95%CI=(1.24-4.73) and 2.95, 95%CI=(1.43-6.07) respectively. 25 phenotypic domains were pinpointed and 3 phenogroups identified. Phenogroup 3 had a significantly increased mortality (log-rank P=0.046) compared to the others and was remarkable for predominant pulmonary disease in older male, accumulating cardiovascular risk factors, and simultaneous three major comorbidities: coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease and interstitial lung disease.

CONCLUSION

PH-LHD and PH-LD has 2-fold and 3-fold increase in mortality, respectively compared with PAH. PH patients with simultaneous kidney-cardiac-pulmonary comorbidities were identified as having high-risk of mortality. Specific targeted therapy in this phenogroup should be prospectively evaluated.

Does combination therapy work in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension?

•

Long-term overall survival of CTEPH patients receiving PH-specific medial therapy is very reasonable.

•

Despite worse baseline characteristics at baseline, combination therapy showed similar survival as monotherapy.

•

Combination therapy strategy showed no difference in survival outcome.

Objective

The current experience with combination therapy in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is limited. We present the first survival results up to 5 years for dual combination therapy versus monotherapy in CTEPH.

Methods

All consecutive, non-operated CTEPH or residual PH after pulmonary endarterectomy patients treated with PH-specific medical therapy between January 2002 and November 2019 were included. We report and compare survival between monotherapy and (upfront or sequential) dual combination therapy until five years after medication initiation.

Results

In total, 183 patients (mean age 65 ± 14 years, 60% female, 66% WHO FC III/IV, 86% non-operated) were included, of which 83 patients received monotherapy and 100 patients received dual combination therapy. At baseline, patients receiving combination therapy had a higher NT-proBNP (p = 0.02) mean pulmonary artery pressure (p = 0.0001) and pulmonary vascular resistance (p = 0.02), while cardiac index was lower (p = 0.03). Total follow-up duration was 3.3 ± 1.8 years, during which 31 (17%) patients died. Estimated 1-, 3- and 5-year survival for monotherapy were 99%, 92% and 79%, respectively. For combination therapy percentages were 98%, 89% and 70%, respectively. Survival did not significantly differ between both groups (p = 0.22).

Conclusion

Survival up to 5 years for patients treated with combination therapy, regardless of the combination strategy, was similar as patients with monotherapy, despite worse clinical and haemodynamic baseline characteristics.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Spain: a decade of change

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) treatment has evolved in the last decade. However, there is scarce information on the long-term impact of this progress in a real-life population at a national level. This study was designed to analyze the characteristics of CTEPH patients in Spain over the last decade.

METHODS

We prospectively collected epidemiological, clinical, and prognostic data from CTEPH patients consecutively included in the Spanish REHAP registry from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2018. We evaluated differences over time, establishing 2013 as the reference date for analysis. Propensity scores for interventional treatment were calculated using a multivariable logistic regression model.

RESULTS

A total of 1019 patients were included; 659 (64.4%) were evaluated at a national CTEPH center. Overall, 350 patients (34.3%) were selected for surgery and 97 (9.6%) for percutaneous treatment. Patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2012 died more frequently than those diagnosed from 2013 onward (HR, 1.83; 95%CI, 1.07-3.15; P=.027). Within the subgroup of patients adjusted by propensity score, baseline pulmonary vascular resistance and the 6-minute walk test distance also determined the outcome (HR, 1.24; 95%CI, 1.15-1.33; P=.011; and HR, 0.93; 95%CI, 0.90-0.97; P=.001, respectively). High survival rates were found in patients who underwent an invasive procedure (pulmonary endarterectomy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty).

CONCLUSIONS

CTEPH diagnosis and prognosis have consistently improved in the last decade. Baseline disease severity determines the risk profile. Patients who undergo pulmonary endarterectomy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty have better outcomes.

Pulmonary hypertension in Saudi Arabia: First data from the SAUDIPH registry with a focus on pulmonary arterial hypertension

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

This study presents the first results of 'SAUDIPH' registry, aiming to assess patient characteristics, treatment approach and clinical and survival outcomes in patients with PAH.

METHODS

The registry enrolled patients with Group 1 and Group 4 PH under clinical management in a specialized tertiary care centre from 2004 to 2018. Changes from baseline to last follow-up visit were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 222 patients were enrolled, and Group 1 PH was the most frequent aetiology (57.7%). Mean age at diagnosis was 32 years. mPAP was 55.0 mm Hg and was higher for Group 1 PH (59.0 mm Hg, P < 0.001). At the last visit, most patients were on specific therapy (83.7%) and 30% shifted from FC III/IV to FC I/II. NT-proBNP improved by 29.2% in the overall population. The 1-, 3- and 5-year cumulative probabilities of survival were 95.6% (95% CI: 91.5-99.9%), 89.2% (95% CI: 82.1-96.9%) and 74.6% (95% CI: 59.4-93.7%), respectively. CHD-PAH demonstrated the best survival among Group 1 PAH with 1-, 3- and 5-year cumulative probability of 100%, 100%, and 75.0% (95% CI: 42.6-100), respectively.

CONCLUSION

PAH was the most frequent aetiology and patients were younger at diagnosis compared to other cohorts. Most patients showed improvement in FC and NT-proBNP. The estimated 1-year survival was better than previous studies, possibly reflecting wider use of combination therapy and the high prevalence of CHD-PAH.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Saudi Arabia: preliminary results from the SAUDIPH registry

Background

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare, progressive vascular disease with poor prognosis if left untreated. This study aims to assess the patient characteristics, treatment approach and clinical and survival outcomes for CTEPH patients enrolled in the Systematic Prospective Follow Up for Better Understanding of Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Disease (SAUDIPH) registry.

Methods

This study presents a subanalysis of CTEPH patients enrolled in the SAUDIPH registry. This registry enrolled patients with pulmonary hypertension, established through right heart catheterisation, under clinical management at a specialised tertiary care centre. Patients received standard care during the period of the registry.

Results

At the time of this analysis, 64 CTEPH patients were enrolled in the registry. Mean age at diagnosis was 39.7 years and there was a female predominance (67.6%). At baseline, most patients were in World Health Organization functional classes III or IV (70.1%). At the last follow-up visit, most patients (63.2%) had undergone endarterectomy, showing significant improvement in disease severity from baseline. Patients who underwent endarterectomy showed numerically higher (p=0.126) probability of survival at 1 year (97.5%) versus those who did not undergo endarterectomy (94.4%).

Conclusion

Patients were diagnosed at relatively young age, but still showed high disease severity, suggesting delay in diagnosis. Patients who underwent surgical treatment showed substantial improvements in clinical and haemodynamic parameters, while the remaining patients tended to show disease progression. The 96.6% 1-year cumulative probability of survival was high compared to previous studies.

The SAUDIPH registry was designed to follow pulmonary hypertension patients in Saudi Arabia. This study assesses patient characteristics and treatment approaches of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients enrolled in the SAUDIPH registry.http://bit.ly/2uCWpBe

Sex-specific differences in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Results from the European CTEPH registry

BACKGROUND

Women are more susceptible than men to several forms of pulmonary hypertension, but have better survival. Sparse data are available on chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

METHODS

We investigated sex-specific differences in the clinical presentation of CTEPH, performance of pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), and survival.

RESULTS

Women constituted one-half of the study population of the European CTEPH registry (N = 679) and were characterized by a lower prevalence of some cardiovascular risk factors, including prior acute coronary syndrome, smoking habit, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but more prevalent obesity, cancer, and thyroid diseases. The median age was 62 (interquartile ratio, 50-73) years in women and 63 (interquartile ratio, 53-70) in men. Women underwent PEA less often than men (54% vs 65%), especially at low-volume centers (48% vs 61%), and were exposed to fewer additional cardiac procedures, notably coronary artery bypass graft surgery (0.5% vs 9.5%). The prevalence of specific reasons for not being operated, including patient's refusal and the proportion of proximal vs distal lesions, did not differ between sexes. A total of 57 (17.0%) deaths in women and 70 (20.7%) in men were recorded over long-term follow-up. Female sex was positively associated with long-term survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.94). Short-term mortality was identical in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with CTEPH underwent PEA less frequently than men, especially at low-volume centers. Furthermore, they had a lower prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and were less often exposed to additional cardiac surgery procedures. Women had better long-term survival.

Hospital burden of pulmonary arterial hypertension in France

Background & aims

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a severe disease associated with frequent hospitalisations. This retrospective analysis of the French medical information PMSI-MSO database aimed to describe incident cases of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension hospitalised in France in 2013 and to document associated hospitalisation costs from the national health insurance perspective.

Methods

Cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension were identified using a diagnostic algorithm. All cases hospitalised in 2013 with no hospitalisation the previous two years were retained. All hospital stays during the year following the index hospitalisation were extracted, and classified as incident stays, monitoring stays or stays due to disease worsening. Costs were attributed from French national tariffs.

Results

384 patients in France were hospitalised with incident pulmonary arterial hypertension in 2013. Over the following twelve months, patients made 1,271 stays related to pulmonary arterial hypertension (415 incident stays, 604 monitoring stays and 252 worsening stays). Mean age was 59.6 years and 241 (62.8%) patients were women. Liver disease and connective tissue diseases were documented in 62 patients (16.1%) each. Thirty-one patients (8.1%) died during hospitalisation and four (1.0%) received a lung/heart-lung transplantation. The total annual cost of these hospitalisations was € 3,640,382. € 2,985,936 was attributable to standard tariffs (82.0%), € 463,325 to additional ICU stays (12.7%) and € 191,118 to expensive drugs (5.2%). The mean cost/stay was € 2,864, ranging from € 1,282 for monitoring stays to € 7,285 for worsening stays.

Conclusions

Although pulmonary arterial hypertension is rare, it carries a high economic burden.

Risk assessment and survival of patients with pulmonary hypertension: Multicenter experience in Turkey

Objective:

Risk stratification continues to evolve in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Our aim was to further confirm the risk assessment strategy in our cohort and to determine the most reliable model.

Methods:

We enrolled incident patients with idiopathic PAH (IPAH), heritable, drug-induced, congenital heart disease (CHD), connective tissue diseases (CTD) subsets, and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) from January 2008 to February 2018. Data from the baseline and subsequent follow-ups within 1 year of diagnosis were included. An abbreviated risk assessment strategy was applied using the following variables: functional class (FC), 6-minute walk distance (6 MWD), N-terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) or BNP, right atrial (RA) area, pericardial effusion, the mean RA pressure, cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturation. Three different methods were applied to categorize patients.

Results:

A total of 189 subjects (46±17 years, 23% male) were included. Sixty-one patients had died. The survival differed significantly between the risk groups both at diagnosis and during the follow-up. Patients with a low-risk profile had a better survival rate. An abbreviated risk assessment tool predicted mortality at early follow-up in the entire group and CHD, CTD subsets, and CTEPH, separately. An overall mortality among risk categories was significantly different according to each categorization method. The most reliable model comprised FC, 6 MWD, NT pro-BNP/BNP, and the RA area at the follow-up.

Conclusion:

The abbreviated risk assessment tool may be valid for the PAH subsets and CTEPH. Echocardiographic variables do matter. A model comprising FC, 6 MWD, NT pro-BNP/BNP, and the RA area at the follow-up could be useful for better prognostication.

Healthcare utilization in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension after acute pulmonary embolism

Essentials Diagnostic delay of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is long. We explored healthcare utilisation of patients diagnosed with CTEPH after pulmonary embolism. A large number of physicians were consulted and test results were not always interpreted correctly. Better education and higher awareness of CTEPH may lead to faster diagnosis. SUMMARY: Background The median diagnostic delay of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is 14 months, which may affect prognosis. We aimed to explore the healthcare utilization of patients diagnosed with CTEPH after acute pulmonary embolism (PE), and to identify the causes of diagnostic delay. Methods We collected all data on patient symptoms, medical specialist referrals and ordered diagnostic tests to reconstruct the clinical pathways of 40 patients referred to the VU University Medical Center Amsterdam (VUMC, the Netherlands) for CTEPH treatment. Diagnostic delay was defined as the time between first symptom onset and referral to the VUMC. Correlations of patient-specific characteristics and diagnostic delay were evaluated. Results Patients consulted four (median) different physicians for a median of 13 (interquartile range [IQR] 10-18) consultations before the correct diagnosis was made. The median diagnostic delay was 21 months (IQR 12-49 months). Echocardiographic results suggestive of CTEPH were not always followed by an adequate work-up; most patients were not subjected to ventilation/perfusion scanning. Prior cardiopulmonary comorbidity and recurrent venous thromboembolism were predictors of a longer delay. Conclusion Healthcare utilization in patients before their final CTEPH diagnosis was far from optimal, contributing to a considerable diagnostic delay. Better education and higher awareness of CTEPH among PE caretakers may lead to faster diagnosis.

The impact of patient choice on survival in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the gold standard treatment for operable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). However, a proportion of patients with operable disease decline surgery. There are currently no published data on this patient group. The aim of this study was to identify outcomes and prognostic factors in a large cohort of consecutive patients with CTEPH.Data were collected for consecutive, treatment-naive CTEPH patients at the Pulmonary Vascular Disease Unit of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital (Sheffield, UK) between 2001 and 2014.Of 550 CTEPH patients (mean±sd age 63±15 years, follow-up 4±3 years), 49% underwent surgery, 32% had technically operable disease and did not undergo surgery (including patient choice n=72 and unfit for surgery n=63), and 19% had inoperable disease due to disease distribution. The 5-year survival was superior in patients undergoing PEA (83%) versus technically operable disease who did not undergo surgery (53%) and inoperable due to disease distribution (59%) (p<0.001). Survival was superior in patients following PEA compared with those offered but declining surgery (55%) (p<0.001). In patients offered PEA, independent prognostic factors included mixed venous oxygen saturation, gas transfer and patient decision to proceed to surgery.Outcomes in CTEPH following PEA are excellent and superior to patients declining surgery, and strongly favour consideration of a surgical intervention in eligible patients.

Long-term survival in pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Insights from a referral center in Portugal

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to assess the long-term survival of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients followed in a Portuguese pulmonary hypertension (PH) referral center.

METHODS

We studied PAH and CTEPH patients diagnosed between January 2005 and December 2016. Cumulative survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Survival trends were compared over two periods (2005-2010 vs. 2011-2016).

RESULTS

Of the 142 studied PH patients (age 54±18 years; 31% male), 47 had CTEPH and 95 had group 1 PH. Most patients with CTEPH and idiopathic/heritable PAH (I/HPAH) were in NYHA III-IV at diagnosis (64% and 57%, respectively). At the time of death, 31% of patients with connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated PAH (CTD-PAH) and all I/HPAH patients were on double or triple combination therapy. No patient underwent lung transplantation. Pulmonary endarterectomy or angioplasty were performed in 36% of CTEPH patients. Age at diagnosis tended to increase over time in CTD-PAH (53±15 vs. 63±15 years; p=0.13) and I/HPAH (39±15 vs. 51±19 years; p=0.10). The five-year survival estimates for I/HPAH, CTD-PAH and CTEPH patients were 80%, 52%, and 81%, respectively. Over time, CTD-PAH and CTEPH showed better five-year survival (33 vs. 67% and 77 vs. 84%), but I/HPAH did not (84 vs. 75%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate a trend toward improved survival over time of CTD-PAH and CTEPH patients treated at a Portuguese referral PH center. Earlier diagnosis, increasing use of parenteral prostanoids, and surgical treatment may further improve PH prognosis.

Results from more than 20 years of surgical pulmonary endarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Denmark

OBJECTIVES

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is a fatal disease if left untreated, and pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the potentially curable treatment of choice. We aimed to estimate the current in-hospital mortality rate, complication rate and long-term survival for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension undergoing PEA in Denmark.

METHODS

All chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients who underwent PEA in the period 1994 till 2016 were consecutively enrolled in our single-centre study. All patients were followed from PEA until death or end of study. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the 3-, 5- and 10-year survival rates with 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

In total, 239 patients were operated in the study period. A significant reduction in mean pulmonary arterial pressure from 48 mmHg to 33 mmHg, and pulmonary vascular resistance from 800 dynes s cm-5 to 289 dynes s cm-5, was observed during the first postoperative day after PEA. Overall, in-hospital mortality rate was 8.4%. A significantly lower mortality rate in the late decade (2005-2016) compared with the early decade (1994-2004) was observed (4.3% vs 22.6%, P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality during the last 5 years (n = 80) was 2.5%. Three-, 5- and 10-year survival rates were 84% (CI: 77.8-88), 77% (CI: 70.7-82.7) and 62% (CI: 53-69.1), respectively. The majority of patients improved in World Health Organization functional class from III/IV to I/II and significantly increased their 6-min walking distance.

CONCLUSIONS

PEA in Denmark is associated with a low in-hospital mortality rate and significant improvements in both haemodynamics and exercise capacity. Long-term survival is excellent and similar to high-volume international centres.

Characteristics and survival data from Latvian pulmonary hypertension registry: comparison of prospective pulmonary hypertension registries in Europe

Patient registries are a valuable tool in the research of rare conditions such as pulmonary hypertension (PH). We report comprehensive hemodynamic and survival data of 174 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), included in the prospective Latvian PH registry over a period of > 9 years. In total, 130 adult PAH patients (75%) and 44 adult CTEPH patients (25%) were enrolled. The median follow-up period was 33 months for PAH and 18 months for CTEPH, P = 0.001. Latvian CTEPH patients had significantly higher plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide, higher pulmonary vascular resistance, and lower cardiac index than Latvian PAH patients. Calculated incidence of PAH and CTEPH in Latvia in 2016 was 13.7 and 5.1 cases per million inhabitants, calculated prevalence was 45.7 and 15.7 cases per million inhabitants, respectively. Survival rates at one, three, and five years for PAH patients was 88.0%, 73.3%, and 58.1%, and 83.8%, 59.0%, and 44.2% for CTEPH patients, respectively. We compared our study results with data from European adult PH registries. Latvian PAH patients had the fourth lowest and CTEPH patients the lowest one-year survival rate among European adult PH registries. As most PH registries in Europe are small, yet with equivalent patient inclusion criteria, it would be desirable to combine these registries to produce more reliable and high-quality study results.

Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension: Summary of Recommendations

Pulmonary hypertension is a hemodynamic disorder defined by abnormally high pulmonary artery pressure that can occur in numerous diseases and clinical situations. The causes of pulmonary hypertension are classified into 5 major groups: arterial, due to left heart disease, due to lung disease and/or hypoxemia, chronic thromboembolic, with unclear and/or multifactorial mechanisms. This is a brief summary of the Guidelines on the Diagnostic and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery. These guidelines describe the current recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of the different pulmonary hypertension groups.

Pulmonary endarterectomy in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

BACKGROUND

Management and outcome of patients with operable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) at a large German referral center were investigated.

METHODS

In Germany, 394 PEAs were performed in 2014 and 2015 with an in-hospital mortality rate of 5.8%. Of these, 253 patients (64.2%) were treated at the Kerckhoff Clinic, Bad Nauheim, and 237 (93.7%; median age, 62 years [interquartile range [IQR], 52-72 years]; 46.0% female) were included in the present analysis.

RESULTS

On referral, 52 patients (22.0%) were treated with pulmonary arterial hypertension-specific drugs and 95 (40.4%) were treated with non-vitamin K-dependent oral anticoagulants, and 14 (5.9%) had mean pulmonary artery pressure <25 mm Hg and were classified as having chronic thromboembolic pulmonary vascular disease. PEA was feasible in 236 (99.6%) patients with median duration of surgery of 397 minutes (IQR, 363-431 minutes). Periprocedural (0%) and in-hospital (2.5%) mortality rates were very low. Forty-two patients (17.7%) had intraoperative complications, and 60 (25.3%) had post-operative complications. The duration of surgery was the only predictor of in-hospital mortality (≥500 minutes; odds ratio [OR], 32.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.5-187.6) and the only independent predictor of intraoperative (≥440 minutes; OR, 10.8; 95% CI, 4.4-26.5) and post-operative (≥390 minutes; OR, 2.4; 95%CI, 1.1-5.7) complications. Only intraoperative complications independently predicted a longer duration of surgery (≥397 minutes; OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 2.2-11.2).

CONCLUSIONS

In an experienced center with multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, PEA is safe. Prognosis was mainly determined by occurrence of intraoperative complications and duration of surgery rather than patients' pre-operative status.

Variations of Postresuscitation Lung Function after Thrombolysis Therapy in a Cardiac Arrest Porcine Model Caused by Pulmonary Thromboembolism

BACKGROUND

Study of lung function in survivor from cardiac arrest (CA) caused by pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) was rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the variations of postresuscitation lung function after thrombolysis treatment in a CA porcine model caused by PTE.

METHODS

After 2 min of untreated CA, pigs of 10-12 weeks with a weight of 30 ± 2 kg (n = 24) were treated with recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (50 mg). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and ventilation were initiated after drug administration. Pulmonary function and arterial blood gas parameters were measured at baseline, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) immediately, and 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h after ROSC.

RESULTS

The dynamic lung compliance decreased significantly at ROSC immediately and 1 h after ROSC compared to baseline (21.86 ± 2.00 vs. 26.72 ± 2.20 ml/mmHg and 20.38 ± 1.31 vs. 26.72 ± 2.20 ml/mmHg, respectively; P < 0.05; 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa). Compared with baseline, airway resistance increased significantly at ROSC immediately and 1 h after ROSC (P < 0.05). Respiratory index also increased after ROSC and showed significant differences among baseline, ROSC immediately, and 2 h after ROSC (P < 0.05). Oxygen delivery decreased at ROSC immediately compared to baseline (P < 0.05). The oxygenation index decreased significantly at any time after ROSC compared to baseline (P < 0.05). Extravascular lung water index and pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI) showed significant differences at ROSC immediately compared to baseline and 1 h after ROSC (P < 0.05); PVPI at ROSC immediately was also different from 6 h after ROSC (P < 0.05). Ventilation/perfusion ratios increased after ROSC (P < 0.05). Histopathology showed fibrin effusion, bleeding in alveoli, and hemagglutination in pulmonary artery.

CONCLUSIONS

Lung function remains abnormal even after CPR with thrombolysis therapy; it is essential to continue anticoagulation and symptomatic treatment after ROSC.

Epidemiology and management of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: experience from two expert centers

OBJECTIVES

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare, distinct pulmonary vascular disease, and therefore, there is a lack of data regarding its clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management at a national basis. We aimed to describe the demographics and management of patients with CTEPH in Northern Greece.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, observational study by a joint collaboration between two pulmonary hypertension expert centers in Greece, and the study included patients diagnosed with CTEPH. The patient population was divided into two groups depending on their operability.

RESULTS

Overall, 27 consecutive patients were included (59% female, mean age 59.3±15.1 years). Dyspnea and fatigue were the most common presenting symptoms. History of pulmonary embolism was present in 82%. Of patients, 18 (67%) were assessed as operable, of whom 10 (55%) finally underwent pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). There were no differences in symptoms, WHO functional class, 6-min walking test distance, and hemodynamics between the operable and nonoperable groups. At the end of follow-up, all non-operable and operable patients who did not receive surgical treatment were treated with at least one pulmonary hypertension-specific drug.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report that presents data of patients diagnosed with CTEPH in Greece. The percentage of patients who underwent surgical treatment is lower but approaches the reported rates in large registries. Considering that PEA is a relatively safe and potentially curative surgical procedure, we emphasize the need for establishing a designated PEA center in Greece.

A survey on pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in the Asia-Pacific region

Background Surgical pulmonary thromboendarterectomy has been established as the treatment of choice for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. We conducted a survey among Asia-Pacific cardiothoracic surgeons to examine their current practice demographics and reflect their views on the future prospects for pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery. Methods All cardiothoracic surgeons who were registered on the CTSNet.org website and based in the Asia-Pacific region were invited to participate in an online survey. The electronic questionnaire was completed by 172 (6.3%) surgeons. Responses were recorded anonymously and tabularized as absolute figures and fractions. Results Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery has been performed by few Asia-Pacific surgeons and in small numbers of patients, but survival rates and functional outcomes were satisfactory in most experiences. Failures were thought to have resulted primarily from the difficulty in selecting suitable candidates for surgery. The need for greater clinical experience was clear, yet this might be hampered by the limited recognition of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery as a potential cure for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Most surgeons considered that this procedure should be restricted to designated expert centers, and acknowledged the need to organize dedicated regional meetings where clinical practice guidelines can be established and updated as appropriate for regional healthcare facilities. Conclusions Although much effort is needed before pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery becomes widely adopted in the Asia-Pacific region, many surgeons and centers are already seeking its implementation. Designating expert centers, bringing together a regional working group on pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, and establishing clinical practice guidelines as appropriate for regional healthcare facilities were recommended.

Medical management of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from incomplete resolution of acute pulmonary emboli, organised into fibrotic material that obstructs large pulmonary arteries, and distal small-vessel arteriopathy. Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the treatment of choice for eligible patients with CTEPH; in expert centres, PEA has low in-hospital mortality rates and excellent long-term survival. Supportive medical therapy consists of lifelong anticoagulation plus diuretics and oxygen, as needed.

An important recent advance in medical therapy for CTEPH is the arrival of medical therapies for patients with inoperable disease or persistent/recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA. The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is licensed for the treatment of CTEPH in patients with inoperable disease or with recurrent/persistent pulmonary hypertension after PEA. Clinical trials of this agent have shown improvements in patients' haemodynamics and exercise capacity. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists and prostanoids have been used in the treatment of CTEPH, but evidence of benefit is limited. Challenges in the future development of medical therapy for CTEPH include better understanding of the underlying pathology, end-points to monitor the condition's progress, and the optimisation of pulmonary arterial hypertension therapies in relation to diverse patient characteristics and emerging options such as balloon pulmonary angioplasty.

Pulmonary endarterectomy outputs in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery is the treatment of choice for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; extremely high pulmonary vascular resistance constitutes a risk factor for hospital mortality. The objective of this study was to analyze the immediate and long-term results of the surgical treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in patients with very severe pulmonary hypertension.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Since February 1996, we performed 160 pulmonary thromboendarterectomies. We divided the patient population in 2 groups: group 1, which included 40 patients with pulmonary vascular resistance≥1090dyn/sec/cm^-5, and group 2, which included the remaining 120 patients.

RESULTS

Hospital mortality (15 vs. 2.5%), reperfusion pulmonary edema (33 vs. 14%) and heart failure (23 vs. 3.3%) were all higher in group 1; however, after one year of follow-up, there were no significant differences in the clinical, hemodynamic and echocardiographic conditions of both groups. Survival rate after 5 years was 77% in group 1 and 92% in group 2 (P=.033). After the learning curve including the 46 first patients, there was no difference in hospital mortality (3.8 vs. 2.3%) or survival rate after 5 years (96.2% in group 1 and 96.2% in group 2).

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is linked to significantly higher morbidity and mortality rates in patients with severe chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Nevertheless, these patients benefit the same from the procedure in the mid-/long-term. In our experience, after the learning curve, this surgery is safe in severe pulmonary hypertension and no level of pulmonary vascular resistance should be an absolute counter-indication for this surgery.

Midterm Effect of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty on Hemodynamics and Subclinical Myocardial Damage in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

BACKGROUND

The acute favourable effect of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) has been proven in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). However, data on its effect 6 months after therapy (from now on referred to as mid-term) and influence on the right ventricle and myocardial damage are sparse. To evaluate factors that influence improvement in cardiac output (CO) and subclinical myocardial damage, we examined hemodynamics and serum high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) levels before, 1 week after, and 6 months after BPA.

METHODS

In a retrospective study, we reviewed 67 consecutive patients from November 2012 to January 2016 with CTEPH who had undergone BPA at Keio University Hospital.

RESULTS

Six months after BPA, the mean right atrium pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and hs-TnT levels decreased; CO and 6-minute walking distance increased. Changes in CO and hs-TnT levels varied compared with other hemodynamic parameters and BNP levels. The CO-increase group (n = 42) had higher mean PAP and PVR, and lower CO at baseline than the CO-decrease/stable group (n = 25). The hs-TnT-decrease group (n = 36) had higher mean right atrium pressure, PAP, PVR, and BNP levels, and lower CO at baseline than the hs-TnT-increase/stable group (n = 31).

CONCLUSIONS

Six months after BPA, hemodynamics and exercise capacity improved and hs-TnT levels decreased. Improvements in CO and hs-TnT levels were more prominent in CTEPH patients with impaired baseline hemodynamics, suggesting that BPA has a favourable mid-term effect on hemodynamics and subclinical myocardial damage in patients with CTEPH, especially in those with impaired hemodynamics.