Echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary artery systolic pressure and outcomes in ambulatory heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with heart failure (HF) is associated with worse outcomes and is rapidly being recognized as a therapeutic target. To facilitate pragmatic research efforts, data regarding the prognostic importance of noninvasively assessed pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) in stable ambulatory patients with HF are needed.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined the association between echocardiographic PASP and outcomes in 417 outpatients with HF (age, 54 ± 13 years; 60.7% men; 50.4% whites; 24.9% with preserved ejection fraction). Median PASP was 36 mm Hg (interquartile range [IQR]: 29, 46). After a median follow-up of 2.6 years (IQR: 1.7, 3.9) there were 72 major events (57 deaths; 9 urgent heart transplants; and 6 ventricular assist device implantations) and 431 hospitalizations for HF. In models adjusting for clinical risk factors and therapy, a 10-mm Hg higher PASP was associated with 37% higher risk (95% CI: 18, 59; P<0.001) for major events, and 11% higher risk (95% CI: 1, 23; P=0.039) for major events or HF hospitalization. The threshold that maximized the likelihood ratio for both endpoints was 48 mm Hg; those with PASP ≥ 48 mm Hg (N=84; 20.1%) had an adjusted hazard ratio of 3.33 (95% CI: 1.96, 5.65; P<0.001) for major events and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.02, 2.11; P=0.037) for major events or HF hospitalization. Reduced right ventricular systolic function had independent prognostic utility over PASP for adverse outcomes. Right atrial pressure and transtricuspid gradient both contributed to risk.

CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PASP, determined by echocardiography, identifies ambulatory patients with HF at increased risk for adverse events.