Clinical Usefulness of Passive Leg Lifting During Right Heart Catheterization for Diagnosing Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension　- A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND

Passive leg lifting (PLL) may serve as a simple alternative to simulate exercise stress.

METHODS AND

RESULTS

We evaluated 33 patients with PH who underwent PLL-RHC and exercise right heart catheterization (RHC); 25 patients were classified as having PLL-induced PH (LIPH), demonstrating significant increases in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and mPAP-cardiac output slopes. Strong correlations were observed between PLL-RHC and exercise RHC measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

PLL-RHC may represent a simple method for detecting EIPH.