Changes in estimated right ventricular systolic pressure predict mortality and pulmonary hypertension in a cohort of scleroderma patients.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Annual echocardiography screening is widely used in scleroderma, but the utility of longitudinal assessment is unknown. We evaluated whether change in right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was a risk factor for mortality and development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in a cohort of scleroderma patients.

Methods

The study population consisted of scleroderma patients who had at least three echocardiograms and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) over ≥1 year as part of routine care. The annual rate of change in RVSP was determined for each subject. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to assess the association between PAH and mortality and change in RVSP/year, adjusted for relevant covariates.

Results

613 scleroderma patients with 3244

SUBMITTER: Shah AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3839570 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature