P305 The evaluation of left ventricle filling pressure and lung ultrasound B-lines in the diagnosis of cardiogenic dyspnea

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Dyspnea is the most frequent symptom of acute heart failure but it could also be a clinical presentation of some other noncardiogenic conditions. The differentiation of the origin of dyspnea could sometimes be a difficult task. The estimated elevation of left ventricle filling pressure with lung ultrasound proved positive B-lines score > 15 could be reliable as diagnostic methods for acute decompensated heart failure and proof of the cardiogenic origin of dyspnea. Purpose To evaluate the reliability of elevated left ventricle filling pressure and positive lung ultrasound B-lines score in differentiation of the origin of dyspnea. Methods Elevated E/e´>15 as a proof for elevated left ventricle filling pressure and multiple bilateral LUS B-lines (>15) were tested against conventional X-ray and NT-proBNP in 44 patients with cardiogenic dyspnea (23 NYHA III patients and 21 NYHA IV patients) and 42 patients with noncardiogenic dyspnea. Results Elevated left ventricle filling pressure detected with echocardography (E/e´>15) as a proof of acute decompensated heart failure was found in 18 NYHA IV patients and strongly correlated with multiple bilateral LUS B-lines > 15 (all 21 NYHA IV patients), alveolar edema from conventional X-ray (21 NYHA IV patients) and NTproBNP > 1000pg/ml in 17 NYHA IV patients. The results for NYHA III patients differ very much. Elevated filling pressure (E/e´ > 15) from echocardiography was found in 10 patients NYHA III. For the left 13 patients NYHA III E/e´ was in grey zone between 8-14. Multiple bilateral LUS B-lines >15 were found in 18 NYHA III patients. Interstitial pulmonary edema was found in 15 NYHA III patients and NTproBNP > 1000pg/ml was found in 16 NYHA III patients. E/e´ between 8-14 (grey zone) moderately correlated with NT-proBNP and strongly with pulmonary blood flow redistribution and interstitial edema from X-ray. Normal left ventricle filling pressure (E/e´ < 8) was found in 36 noncardiogenic patients. Only 6 patients with noncardiogenic dyspnea were with elevated left ventricle filling pressure (E/e´ > 15) which was explained with their overweight (BMI > 30) and hypervolemia and correlated with negative LUS B-lines. Only 1 patient with noncardiogenic dyspnea was with false positive B-lines score > 15 typical for pneumonia. Conclusions Elevated left ventricle filling pressure detected with Tissue Doppler echocardiography (E/e´>15) and positive LUS B-lines score > 15 are reliable modalities for the diagnosis of cardiogenic dyspnea in patients NYHA IV. In patient NYHA III with cardiogenic dyspnea the two presented modalities proved to be with moderate reliability and need references from conventional X-ray and NT-proBNP.