Prognostic impact of echocardiographic derived precapillary wedge pressure and pulmonary vascular resistances in patients with heart failure

Abstract

Abstract Background A reliable echocardiographic algorithm for the estimation of precapillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and pulmonary vascular resistances (PVR) has been recently validated by our group in a large cohort of patients undergoing right heart catheterization (RHC) (1). Those metrics may add relevant clinical and prognostic information in patients with heart failure (HF). Objective To assess the clinical/prognostic significance of echocardiographic derived PCWP and PVR in a large cohort of chronic HF patients on modern treatments. Methods Outpatients with chronic HF with either reduced (≤40%) or mildly reduced LVEF (41–49%) underwent a thorough clinical multiparametric assessment and were followed-up for a composite endpoint of cardiac death, appropriate ICD shock, or first HF hospitalization. Results Out of 1,483 patients prospectively enrolled (70±12 years, 73% males, 42% ischemic etiology, LVEF 35±8%), PCWP (16.4±5.8 mmHg) was elevated (>15 mmHg) in 53% of cases, while PVR (1.7±0.7) was elevated (>3 WU) in 6% of cases. Of the latter group, most (92%) had also elevated PCWP. Patients with increased PCWP were older, had a higher heart rate and lower cardiac output, showed a higher degree of left and right chamber remodeling, had a higher neurohormonal activation, worse renal function, worse functional capacity and ventilatory efficiency on effort (all p<0.001). Those patients with high PCWP and PVR showed higher heart rate and pulmonary pressures, lower cardiac output, and right ventricular function, higher neurohormonal activation, lower functional capacity and ventilatory efficiency on effort compared to patients with high PCWP but normal PVR (all p<0.01). The optimal prognostic cut-point was identified for both PCWP (16.2 mmHg) and PVR (2 WU) by log-rank maximal likelihood ratio. Over a median follow-up of 22 (8–37) months, both measures significantly stratified patients for the risk of the primary endpoint at Kaplan-Meier analysis (log-rank 92.9, p<0.001 for PCWP; log-rank 17.3, p<0.001 for PVR). At multivariable Cox regression analysis (adjusted for age, sex, ischemic HF etiology, renal function, LVEF, and NT-proBNP), PCWP (hazard ratio, HR 1.77 [95% CI 1.30–2.40], p<0.001) but not PVR (HR 1.15 [95% CI 0.88–1.51], p=0.31) remained an independent predictor of the primary outcome. Conclusion The estimation of PCWP and PVR by echocardiography add relevant clinical and prognostic information and may help in the decision making in patients with HF. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.