J Gerry Coghlan, Christopher P Denton, Ekkehard Grünig, Diana Bonderman, Oliver Distler, Dinesh Khanna, Ulf Müller-Ladner, Janet E Pope, Madelon C Vonk, Martin Doelberg, Harbajan Chadha-Boreham, Harald Heinzl, Daniel M Rosenberg, Vallerie V McLaughlin, James R Seibold
OBJECTIVE: Earlier detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a leading cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc), facilitates earlier treatment. The objective of this study was to develop the first evidence-based detection algorithm for PAH in SSc. METHODS: In this cross-sectional, international study conducted in 62 experienced centres from North America, Europe and Asia, adults with SSc at increased risk of PAH (SSc for >3 years and predicted pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide <60%) underwent a broad panel of non-invasive assessments followed by diagnostic right heart catheterisation (RHC)...
July 2014: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases