Clinical characteristics of pulmonary hypertension patients who underwent right heart catheterization in Thailand: 5-year retrospective single-centre study

Abstract

Aim: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an uncommon and difficult-to-recognize condition. There is still limited evidence on Asian populations. This study aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics of pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC). Setting and Design: A single-centre retrospective observational analysis. Methods and Material: An observational analysis of adult patients diagnosed with PH by RHC from 2015 to 2019; clinical characteristics and investigations were recorded and compared between PAH and non-PAH. The correlations between maximal tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRVmax) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were also estimated. Results: From a total of 243 RHC patients, 79 PH patients were enrolled. The mean (SD) age was 56 (19) years. Dyspnea on exertion (DOE) was the most common clinical manifestation; 70 (89%). Most of them were in functional class II; 58 (73%). PAH was the most prevalent PH group; 46 (58%), followed by PH due to left heart disease; 26 (33%). In the PAH group, congenital heart disease-associated PAH was the most common aetiology; 25 (54%). Compared with the non-PAH group, PAH patients were younger and had fewer comorbidities, particularly atrial fibrillation. There were strong correlations between TRVmax and mPAP (r = 0.62, P < 0.01). Conclusion: PAH was the most prevalent among PH who underwent RHC. The most common presentation of PH patients was DOE. There were strong correlations between parameters from echocardiography and RHC (TRVmax and mPAP).