Evaluation of pulmonary artery stiffness in patients with systemic sclerosis

Year 2024, Volume: 37 Issue: 1, 11 - 17, 28.01.2024

Dursun Akaslan , Murat Demirci

https://doi.org/10.5472/marumj.1378484

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to investigate the use of pulmonary artery stiffness (PAS) parameter in early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis
(SSc) and pulmonary hypertension in SSc patients.
Patients and Methods: The study involved 102 SSc patients and 45 control group patients, who underwent transthoracic
echocardiographic evaluations.
Results: Pulmonary artery stiffness was measured as 25.7±7.6 (Hz/msn) in the SSc cases and 13.7 ±1.6 (Hz/msn) in the healthy
subjects (P< 0.001). TAPSE/sPAP ratio, which we used as an indicator of RV-PA coupling, was calculated as 0.65+0.28 in SSc cases and
1.12+0.33 in the control group (P<0.001).
When we evaluated PAS values of subgroups PAS was significantly higher in SScPH(-) patients without pulmonary hypertension than
control subjects (respectively; 21.67 ± 3.9; 13.7 ± 1.6, P<0.001). The relationship of PAS with the parameters in which pulmonary
hypertension and right ventricular functions were evaluated, there was a positive correlation with sPAP( r: – 0.396, P <0.001), while a
negative correlation was observed with TAPSE/sPAP (r: 0.456, P<0.001).
Conclusion: We observed higher PAS values in SScPH(-) patients compared to the control group and found a positive correlation
between the increase in PAS and sPAP and a negative correlation between them and TAPSE/sPAP.

Keywords

Pulmonary hypertension, Systemic sclerosis, Transthoracic Echocardiography, Pulmonary arterial stiffness, TAPSE/sPAP ratio

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