Factors Influencing Survival in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension: a Review from Single Pulmonary Hypertension Center Registry Baseline Data

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) – is a severe progressive disease leading to the right heart failure. The survival of these patients ranges from several months to several years. The aim of the study: to investigate factors influencing PH patient survival. Matherial and methods. Data from the medical charts from the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno klinikos (Kauno klinikos) PH center were retrospectively analyzed and 59 cases of adult patients diagnosed with PH confirmed by right heart catheterization during the period 2010–2017 were included into the study (18 men and 41 women). The statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20.0. P values of <0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. Results. Mean patient age was 59 years. Mean of overall survival of all cases was 50 months and was higher for patients with N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) ≤1,500 ng/l, than for patients with NT-proBNP>1,500 ng/l. Risk of death was five times higher in patients with NT-proBNP>1,500 ng/l, comparing with the patients with NT-proBNP≤1,500 ng/l. The shortest survival was in PH associated with connective tissue disease group. The risk of death was lower in IPAH and Eisenmenger’s syndrome group, comparing with PH associated with connective tissue disease (CTD). Worse survival was associated with right ventricular (RV) enlargement and severity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) at the baseline. Conclusions. According to our data, PH associated with CTD, higher baseline NT-proBNP concentration and severe RV enlargement as well as greater TR are associated with worse survival and higher risk of death in PH.