An excellent result of surgical treatment in patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension following mitral valve disease

Pathophysiology and new advances in pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive and often fatal cardiopulmonary condition characterised by increased pulmonary arterial pressure, structural changes in the pulmonary circulation, and the formation of vaso-occlusive lesions. These changes lead to increased right ventricular afterload, which often progresses to maladaptive right ventricular remodelling and eventually death. Pulmonary arterial hypertension represents one of the most severe and best studied types of pulmonary hypertension and is consistently targeted by drug treatments. The underlying molecular pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension is a complex and multifactorial process, but can be characterised by several hallmarks: inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, metabolic alterations, genetic or epigenetic abnormalities, influence of sex and sex hormones, and abnormalities in the right ventricle. Current treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension and some other types of pulmonary hypertension target pathways involved in the control of pulmonary vascular tone and proliferation; however, these treatments have limited efficacy on patient outcomes. This review describes key features of pulmonary hypertension, discusses current and emerging therapeutic interventions, and points to future directions for research and patient care. Because most progress in the specialty has been made in pulmonary arterial hypertension, this review focuses on this type of pulmonary hypertension. The review highlights key pathophysiological concepts and emerging therapeutic directions, targeting inflammation, cellular metabolism, genetics and epigenetics, sex hormone signalling, bone morphogenetic protein signalling, and inhibition of tyrosine kinase receptors.

The impact of pulmonary hypertension on outcomes of transcatheter mitral valve replacement in mitral annular calcification

OBJECTIVES

To assess the impact of pulmonary hypertension (PH) on outcomes of patients with severe mitral annular calcification (MAC) undergoing transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR).

BACKGROUND

PH is associated with poor outcomes after mitral valve surgery. Whether the presence of PH in patients with MAC undergoing (TMVR) is associated with poor outcomes, is unknown.

METHODS

Retrospective evaluation of 116 patients from 51 centers in 11 countries who underwent TMVR with valve in mitral annular calcification (ViMAC) using balloon-expandable aortic transcatheter valves (THVs) from September 2012 to March 2017. Pulmonary artery systolic blood pressure (PASP) by echocardiogram was available in 90 patients. The subjects were stratified based on PASP: No PH = PASP ≤35 mmHg (n = 11); mild to moderate PH = PASP 36-49 mmHg (n = 21) and severe PH = PASP ≥50 mmHg (n = 58). Clinical, procedural, and echocardiographic outcomes were assessed.

RESULTS

Mean age was 72.7 (±12.8) years, 59 (65.6%) were female, Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 15.8 + 11.8% and 90.0% where in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality at 30 days (no PH = 27.3%, mild-moderate PH = 19.0%, severe PH = 31.6%; p = 0.55) or at 1 year (no PH = 54.5%, mild-moderate PH = 38.1%, severe PH = 56.1%; p = 0.36). No difference in adverse events, NYHA class or amount of residual mitral regurgitation at 1 year were observed between the groups.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that the presence of PH in patients with predominantly mitral stenosis with MAC undergoing TMVR does not impact mortality or adverse events. Further studies are needed to fully understand the effect of PH in this group of patients.

Effect of Treprostinil on the Early Postoperative Prognosis of Patients with Severe Left Heart Valvular Disease Combined with Severe Pulmonary Hypertension

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of treprostinil on the early postoperative prognosis of patients with severe left heart valvular disease combined with severe pulmonary hypertension (PAH).

METHODS

A retrospective study including 55 patients with severe left heart valvular disease combined with severe PAH who underwent left heart valve replacement in our hospital between January 2019 and May 2019 was conducted. Patients were divided into two groups (treprostinil group and control group), and the clinical data of patients in the two groups were compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with the preoperative status, the mean postoperative pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) in both groups was significantly lower. Compared with the control group, the treprostinil group had a significantly lower mPAP. Moreover, the postoperative mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and hospital stay of the treprostinil group were significantly shorter than those of the control group. There were no serious drug-related side effects in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

Treprostinil can improve the early postoperative prognosis of patients with severe left heart valvular disease combined with severe PAH undergoing prosthetic valve replacement.

Impact of preoperative pulmonary arterial hypertension on early and late outcomes in patients undergoing valve surgery for rheumatic heart disease

Background and Aims

There is conflicting evidence on adverse effect of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) on outcomes after cardiac surgery for rheumatic heart disease (RHD). The authors studied Indian patients with RHD and preoperative PAH, who undergo cardiac surgery with a hypothesis that they have poor short and long-term outcomes.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of 407 patients. The patients were divided in three groups based on PAH estimated on echocardiograph as; no or mild PAH (pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) <30 mm of Hg); moderate PAH (PASP 31-55 mm of Hg) and severe PAH (PASP >55 mm of Hg). The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality and major morbidities; while secondary endpoint was long-term survival.

Results

In-hospital mortality was 24 (5.9%); and was not different in patients with severe, (9.1%), moderate (4.5%) or mild PAH (2.8%) (P = 0.09). Patients with severe PAH had higher incidence of prolonged ventilation (P = 0.007). Factors independently associated with mortality were; >2-packed cell transfusion, prolonged ventilation and acute kidney injury but not moderate and severe PAH. Patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and severe PAH had significantly higher mortality as compared to no or mild PAH (P = 0.03) on long-term follow-up [81.37% (mean duration 19.40 ± 14.10 months)], mortality was 8% and not statistically different (P = 0.25) across PAH categories.

Conclusion

Moderate and severe PAH does not affect short and long term outcomes of patients undergoing valve surgery for RHD. Patients with MS with severe PAH had higher mortality compared to those with no PAH.