Echocardiographic analysis of pulmonary arterial systolic pressure in pulmonary hypertension.

INTRODUCTION

The reliability of pulmonary arterial systolic pressure by transthoracic echocardiography is limited by its variability to define pulmonary hypertension.

OBJECTIVE

To know the variability of pulmonary arterial systolic pressure estimated by echocardiography in pulmonary hypertension. Their demographic variables were obtained.

METHODS

From 2016-2020 subjects with pulmonary hypertension were recruited, with pulmonary artery systolic pressure estimated by transthoracic echocardiography and by right heart catheterization. Data were analyzed using the Bland-Altman descriptive statistic and the intraclass correlation coefficient (95% confidence interval).

RESULTS

152 subjects, age 60 ± 12 years, were studied. Body mass index 27.64 ± 4.69 kg/m2. The pulmonary artery systolic pressure estimated by transthoracic echocardiography 58.99 ± 18.62 vs. cardiac catheterization 55.43 ± 16.79 mmHg. Mean difference (bias) -3.6 (29.1, -36.2) and intraclass correlation coefficient 0.717 (0.610, 0.794).

CONCLUSIONS

Variability is wide, and agreement is substantial for pulmonary artery systolic pressure. It is recommended to estimate only as screening for pulmonary hypertension.