Pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis in the Czech Republic
Language English Country Germany Media print-electronic
Document type Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- MeSH
- Pulmonary Artery physiopathology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension MeSH
- Cohort Studies MeSH
- Comorbidity MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Lung physiopathology MeSH
- Hypertension, Pulmonary complications diagnosis epidemiology physiopathology MeSH
- Prevalence MeSH
- Respiratory Function Tests MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Scleroderma, Systemic complications epidemiology physiopathology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic epidemiology MeSH
BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an important cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), with an estimated prevalence of 7.85-26.7%. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of PAH among patients with SSc in the Czech Republic and to compare haemodynamics in SSc patients diagnosed with PAH through screening with those diagnosed previously, based on symptoms. METHODS: During 2007, SSc patients in the Czech Republic, without significant pulmonary function impairment or cardiac disease, underwent screening for PAH with transthoracic echocardiography. Those with a tricuspid regurgitant (TR) jet gradient suggestive of PAH (>30 mmHg) underwent subsequent right heart catheterisation (RHC) to confirm the diagnosis (mean pulmonary arterial pressure, mPAP, ≥25 mmHg; pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, ≤15 mmHg). Haemodynamics in patients diagnosed with PAH in this way were compared with those in patients diagnosed previously, based on symptoms. RESULTS: Two hundred and three SSc patients (mean age, 53.8 ± 13 years; 82.3% women) from 26 rheumatology practices were screened. Among these, 17 had a TR jet gradient >30 mmHg and underwent RHC; PAH was confirmed in six patients. These six patients were found to have significantly lower mPAP than nine patients diagnosed previously with PAH, based on symptoms (31.17 ± 5.56 vs. 46.89 ± 9.48 mmHg, p = 0.0014). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of PAH in our SSc cohort was 7.08%. SSc patients diagnosed with PAH through screening have less advanced disease in terms of haemodynamics than those with PAH diagnosed previously based on symptoms; their prognosis is therefore likely to be more favourable.
See more in PubMed
Arthritis Rheum. 2005 Dec;52(12):3792-800 PubMed
Arthritis Rheum. 2003 Feb;48(2):516-22 PubMed
Rheumatology (Oxford). 2005 Mar;44(3):366-71 PubMed
Rheumatology (Oxford). 2001 Apr;40(4):453-9 PubMed
Eur Heart J. 2009 Oct;30(20):2493-537 PubMed
Chest. 1997 Jan;111(1):36-43 PubMed
Chest. 2003 Feb;123(2):344-50 PubMed
J Rheumatol. 2003 Nov;30(11):2398-405 PubMed
Br J Rheumatol. 1996 Oct;35(10):989-93 PubMed
Ann Rheum Dis. 2003 Feb;62(2):97-9 PubMed
Cardiol Clin. 2004 Aug;22(3):383-99, vi PubMed
Arthritis Rheum. 2005 Jul;52(7):2125-32 PubMed
Br J Rheumatol. 1997 Feb;36(2):239-43 PubMed
Ann Rheum Dis. 2003 Nov;62(11):1088-93 PubMed
J Rheumatol. 2005 Jul;32(7):1273-8 PubMed
