Noninvasive differentiation of pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary venous hypertension by echocardiography

Abstract

Objective To determine whether pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH) and pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH) can be differentiated noninvasively by echocardiography. Methods Fifty-six patients with pulmonary arterial systolic pressure(PASP) ≥40 mmHg by echocardiography were involved,and cardiac catheterization performed within 7 days of each other. Based on left ventricular end-diastolic pressure or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP) ,30 patients were classified as PAH group and 26 patients as PVH group. The early(E) and late(A) diastolic mitral inflow velocities,E/A ratios,deceleration time(DT),early dastlic mitrial annular velocity(E') and E/E' ratios were measured by conventional and Doppler tissue imaging echocardiography in the two groups. Results Compared with PVH group,the PAH group had significantly higher A,DT,PASP and E',and significantly lower E,E/A ratio and E/E' ratio (P 9.2 (sensitivity 95%, specificity 97%) and E/A> 1. 7 (sensitivity 75%,specificity 92%). Conclusions PAH and PVH imaging can be reliably differentiated by echocardiography. Key words: Echocardiography; Hypertension,pulmonary; Diagnosis,differential