Development of a Noninvasive Prediction Score for Post-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Population.

BackgroundDistinguishing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) from postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is crucial yet can be challenging. The H2FPEF and OPTICS scores have been proposed as predictors of an elevated pulmonary...

Validation of the OPTICS and H2FPEF risk scores for post-capillary pulmonary hypertension in an asian cohort

Can Inhaled Nitric Oxide Response Predict Tolerance to Therapies and Survival in Patients With Combined Precapillary and Postcapillary Pulmonary Hypertension?

The additive value of echocardiographic pulmonary to left atrial global strain ratio in the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension

Clinical Relevance of Fluid Challenge in Patients Evaluated for Pulmonary Hypertension

The Gradient between Diastolic Pulmonary Arterial Pressure and Pulmonary Wedge Pressure Is Important in the Evaluation of Post-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension

Funding Acknowledgements South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority Background Reduced left atrial (LA) reservoir strain is a marker of elevated LA pressure. Thus it could be a potential non-invasive marker to differentiate pre- and post-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) as the latter is defined by elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) > 15 mmHg. However, in pre-capillary PH patients with elevated right atrial pressure (RAP), the atrial septal geometry may be abnormal. This could lead to lower regional LA septal strain, making LA lateral wall strain more accurately reflect PCWP. Purpose We investigated if LA lateral wall strain can differentiate between pre- and post-capillary PH, and how LA lateral wall strain and LA septal strain are both affected by elevated RAP in pre-capillary PH. Furthermore we investigated if LA septal strain can be used in pre-capillary PH patients to identify those with elevated RAP. Methods We analysed 63 patients with PH, 28 pre-capillary and 35 post-capillary, who underwent right heart catheterisation. Echocardiography was performed simultaneously with or within 24 hours of the invasive pressure measurements. Regional LA septal strain and lateral wall strain were measured from the apical four chamber view. Results Pulmonary artery pressure was 39.5 ± 11.1 mmHg (mean ± SD) in the pre-capillary PH patients and 37.0 ± 10.1 mmHg in the post-capillary PH patients (p = ns). Mean PCWP was 9.9 ± 2.5 mmHg and 24.5 ± 6.0 mmHg (p < 0.001), respectively. LA lateral wall strain was significantly lower in patients with post-capillary PH compared to pre-capillary PH (11.9 ± 7.7% vs 26.6 ± 9.9%, p < 0.001) (Fig. a,b). At a cut-off value of 18.0%, LA lateral wall strain could predict elevated PCWP > 15 mmHg with AUC = 0.88, sensitivity = 85.7% and specificity = 76.3%. In the 28 patients with pre-capillary PH, we classified mean RAP ≥ 10 mmHg as elevated and < 10 mmHg as normal. Seven of these patients had elevated RAP and showed significantly reduced LA septal strain compared to the 21 patients with normal RAP (13.0 ± 6.2% vs 22.1 ± 7.6%, p < 0.01). LA lateral wall strain showed no difference in these groups of pre-capillary PH patients (25.8 ± 10.1% vs 28.9 ± 9.4%) (Fig. c). Conclusions LA lateral wall strain can be used for differentiating between pre- and post-capillary PH. In addition, LA septal strain may be used in pre-capillary PH patients to identify those with elevated RAP. Abstract 1231 Figure

The differential diagnosis between precapillary and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is important for deciding on the appropriate therapeutic strategy. The aim of this study was to assess whether the atrial volume ratio can differentiate precapillary and post-capillary PH. Seventy-seven patients with PH who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and right heart catheterization were retrospectively studied. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of 25 mm Hg or higher by right heart catheterization. Patients with a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure higher than 15 mm Hg were classified as having postcapillary PH, and patients with a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 15 mm Hg or lower were classified as having precapillary PH. The atrial volume ratio derived from TTE was defined as right atrial volume divided by left atrial volume. Forty-four (57%) of 77 patients had precapillary PH by the right heart catheterization classification. The atrial volume ratio was significantly higher in precapillary PH than in postcapillary PH (1.03 ± 0.69 versus 0.50 ± 0.19; P < .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the atrial volume ratio for detecting postcapillary PH was 0.84 (95% confidence interval: 0.75-0.93). Adding the atrial volume ratio to the left ventricular ejection fraction yielded a high area under the curve of 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.96) for distinguishing precapillary and postcapillary PH. The atrial volume ratio assessed by TTE might be useful for differential diagnosis between precapillary and postcapillary PH.

Response to fluid challenge in patients with atrial septal defect

Heart Association (JAHA), Ki Hong Choi et al publish an important study in a Korean population to show the diagnostic and prognostic value of left ventricular enddiastolic pressure (LVEDP) in patients with suspected heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). 1 Of 404 patients with suspected HFpEF, LVEDP was 16 mm Hg in 80%, consistent with HFpEF, and this group of patients was found to have higher heart failure assoication-pretest assessment, echocardiography, functional testing, and final etiology (HFA-PEFF) scores than the 20% of patients with noncardiac dyspnea who had LVEDP <16 mm Hg. Although the HFA-PEFF score was associated with a significantly higher 10-year risk of death-or heart failure-related events, the score was in the intermediate range for a significant proportion (56%) of the study patients. Even in this group, increased LVEDP was associated with a significantly higher risk than in patients with LVEDP <16 mm Hg. Therefore, the authors correctly concluded that invasively measured LVEDP can provide additional discriminative value to diagnose HFpEF or to predict a worse outcome, especially in patients with intermediate HFA-PEFF scores.

Background: Echocardiography is a valid tool for predicting the presence of pre- or post-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). A diastolic pulmonary gradient (DPG) equal or higher than 7 mmHg is a marker of pulmonary vascular disease also in patients with post-capillary PH. Aim: To detect if an echocardiographic score is able to allow a differential diagnosis between isolated post-capillary PH (Ipc-PH) and combined post- and pre-capillary PH (Cpc-PH). Methods: An echo-score, including right-to-left-heart chamber dimension >1 (2 points), dilation and no collapsibility of inferior vena cava (2 points), left ventricular eccentricity index ≥1.2 (1 point), E/e9 ratio ≤10 (1 point), and the right ventricle forming the heart apex (1 point), was applied to 230 consecutive patients referred for evaluation of PH and quasi-simultaneous right heart catheterization RHC (within 1 hour). Results: One-hundred-sixty/230 (70%) patients had pre-capillary PH and 70/230 (30%) had post-capillary PH. Within the 70 patients with post-capillary PH, 51/70 had Ipc-PH and 19/70 had Cpc-PH. There was a moderate linear correlation between Echo score and DPG (R 2 = 0.34). Echo score was higher in pre- vs post-capillary PH patients (4.0±2.0 vs 1.6±1.8, p The sensitivity and the specificity of Echo score ≥3 for pre-capillary PH were respectively 74% and 73%. Considering the 70 patients with post-capillary PH, the sensitivity and the specificity of Echo score ≥3 for Cpc-PH were respectively 68% and 88%. Conclusions: Echocardiography allows a satisfactory differential diagnosis not only between pre- and post-capillary PH, but also between Ipc-PH and Cpc-PH.

H2FPEF and HFA-PEFF scores have demonstrated prognostic value in heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction. This study aimed to explore the value of the H2FPEF and HFA-PEFF scores for HF risk stratification in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In this cohort study, 1068 HCM patients were included. Then the H2FPEF and HFA-PEFF scores were calculated to categorize patients into low, intermediate, and high score groups. The primary endpoint was a composite of the first HF hospitalization and all-cause death. 594 (55.6%) patients were classified discordantly. After a follow-up period of 3.1±2.1years, 85 (8.0%) patients were admitted for HF for the first time, and 62 (5.8%) patients died. Rates of first HF hospitalization and all-cause death per 1000 person-years for the low, intermediate, and high H2FPEF score groups were 25.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.5-35.4), 52.0 (95% CI: 41.6-62.3), and 148.1 (95% CI: 77.7-218.5), respectively. For the low-intermediate and high HFA-PEFF score groups, rates were 19.3 (95% CI: 11.6-27.0) and 69.3 (95% CI: 56.4-82.1), respectively. Intermediate H2FPEF score (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.820, 95% CI: 1.135-2.919; P=0.013), high H2FPEF score (HR: 3.464, 95% CI: 1.774-6.765; P<0.001), and high HFA-PEFF score (HR: 2.414, 95% CI: 1.501-3.882; P<0.001) were each independently associated with an increased risk of the primary endpoint. Intermediate-high H2FPEF score demonstrated an equal risk for the primary endpoint compared to the high HFA-PEFF score (HR: 0.826, 95% CI: 0.636-1.072; P>0.05). Obesity (HR: 1.958, 95% CI: 1.140-3.363; P=0.015), atrial fibrillation (HR: 1.686, 95% CI: 1.071-2.654; P=0.024), pulmonary hypertension (HR: 1.613, 95% CI: 1.032-2.521; P=0.036) of the H2FPEF score, and the morphological major criterion (HR: 1.601, 95% CI: 1.084-2.364; P=0.018) and functional major criterion (HR: 2.340, 95% CI: 1.442-3.797; P<0.001) of the HFA-PEFF score were independent predictors of the primary endpoint. A new algorithm was constructed using the independent predictors from both scores, with the functional major criterion weighted as 2 points and the others as 1 point. The H2FPEF score, HFA-PEFF score, and the new algorithm demonstrated C-indices of 0.594, 0.651, and 0.681, respectively. There is discordance in the classification of patients with HCM using the H2FPEF and HFA-PEFF scores. Both scores demonstrated prognostic value in risk stratification for HF hospitalization and all-cause death in HCM patients. Future studies should develop and validate a new algorithm integrating both scores.

Echocardiographic prediction of pre- versus postcapillary pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUD: Post-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH), characterized as increased downstream pressure such as left atrial pressure (LAP), is the most prevalent type of PH and a significant contributor to right heart failure. Accurate estimation of pulmonary arterial characteristics, serving as right ventricular afterload, is crucial for management of PH. These characteristics can be captured comprehensively through pulmonary arterial impedance (PAZ), which elucidates pulmonary arterial pressure-flow relationship within the frequency domain. Although LAP waveforms are potential to affect the contours of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and flow (PAF) waveforms, it remains unknown whether increased LAP affects the accuracy of PAZ measurement. This study aimed to investigate the impact of LAP on the accuracy of PAZ using an acute rodent model. METHODS: We measured pulmonary arterial blood flow (PAF), PAP, and LAP simultaneously in eight male Sprague-Dawley rats. PAZ was calculated as a reciprocal of admittance. Admittance was calculated in the following two ways: 1) one-input (PAP) and one-output (PAF) analysis (I1O1 analysis): the ratio of PAP(f) to PAF(f) at each frequency, where PAP(f) and PAF(f) are frequency spectra of PAP and PAF, respectively, and 2) two-input (PAP and LAP) and one-output (PAF) analysis (I2O1 analysis): excluding the potential effect of LAP from PAP and PAF. We measured PAZ under both normal physiological condition and post-capillary PH condition. To induce acute post-capillary PH by raising LAP &gt;15 mmHg, we ligated aortic arch at the site between brachiocephalic artery and left common carotid artery and performed blood transfusion from a donor rat (TAL/BT). The accuracy of PAZ was examined as the coherence function representing the linearity between the input and output signals. Results: TAL/BT significantly increased LAP from 3 ± 1mmHg to 21 ± 4 mmHg and PAP from 17 ± 3 mmHg to 34 ± 3 mmHg (p&lt;0.01 for both). The I2O1 analysis provided a consistently accurate estimation of PAZ under both normal and elevated LAP conditions with high coherence function (&gt;0.9) in the wide range of frequency between 0.12 and 10.7 Hz. The I1O1 analysis also estimated the PAZ accurately in normal condition with high coherence function (&gt;0.9) in the wide range of frequency, however, the I1O1 analysis overestimated PAZ in the low-range frequency between 0.12 and 1.0 Hz compared with the I2O1 analysis (I1O1: 0.32±0.10 vs. I2O1 0.23±0.06 mmHg/ml/min, p&lt;0.01), with significantly lower coherence function (I1O1: 0.77±0.05 vs. I2O1: 0.96±0.01, p&lt;0.01). CONCLUSION: Increased LAP may have the impact on the accuracy of PAZ estimation in the low-range frequency. The I2O1 analysis can lead to more accurate assessment of right ventricular afterload in post-capillary PH, compared with the I1O1 analysis. Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists of the Japanese Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Project Number 2271000048. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Worsening heart failure after primary catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation with preserved ejection fraction: predictive value of HFA-PEFF score and H2FPEF score