Pulmonary vasculer changes in interstitial lung diseases

Abstract

Aims: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is commonly seen in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), and is associated with a worse prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of PH in patients with ILDs and identify the markers that may predict this complication without invasive procedures. For this purpose, the correlation between mean pulmonary artery pressures and diffusion test, functional assessments, such as six-minute walk test, was invastigated. Methods: The study group included 30 patients who were diagnosed interstitial lung disease between February 2010 and February 2011. Demographic and clinical characteristics, physiological studies, sixminute-walking test and high resolution computered tomography results were prospectively collected, and compared between patients with and without PH. Pulmonary hypertension was defined by right heart catheterization and results were compared between patients with PH and with non-PH. Results: The study cohort consisted of 30 patients, of whom 14 patients (46.6%) had PH. When compared with non-PH subjects, patients with PH exhibited lower six-minutes-walk distance (415 ± 41 m vs. 260 ± 95 m, p <0.001), increased oxygen desaturation percentage during six-minutes-walk test (12.44±5,46 & 7.12±3.48), and decreased percentage of predicted FVC% (49±13.95 & 67±11.56), percentage of predicted FEV1% (52±13.2 & 73.5±12.43), and percentage of predicted DLCO% (38.8±13,7 & 65.3±11.23). Conclusion: As a result, if there is a doubt about the decrease of pulmonary function tests and exercise capacity, patients with ILDs have to be investigated for pulmonary hypertension. Key Words: Interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, six-minutes walk test, pulmonary functional tests.