Hemodynamics Prior to Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis and Pulmonary Hypertension during Long-Term Follow-Up

Publication

Hemodynamics Prior to Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis and Pulmonary Hypertension during Long-Term Follow-Up

Journal Paper/Review - Aug 28, 2021

Weber Lukas, Ehl Niklas, Buser Marc, Rigger Johannes, Chronis Joannis, Weilenmann Daniel, Jörg Lucas, Haager Philipp K., Rickli Hans, Maeder Micha

Citation

Weber L, Ehl N, Buser M, Rigger J, Chronis J, Weilenmann D, Jörg L, Haager P, Rickli H, Maeder M. Hemodynamics Prior to Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis and Pulmonary Hypertension during Long-Term Follow-Up. J Clin Med 2021; 10

Type

Journal Paper/Review (English)

Journal

J Clin Med 2021; 10

Publication Date

Aug 28, 2021

Issn Print

2077-0383

Brief description/objective

(1) Background: Pulmonary hypertension after aortic valve replacement (AVR; post-AVR PH) carries a poor prognosis. We assessed the pre-AVR hemodynamic characteristics of patients with versus without post-AVR PH. (2) Methods: We studied 205 patients (mean age 75 ± 10 years) with severe AS (indexed aortic valve area 0.42 ± 0.12 cm/m, left ventricular ejection fraction 58 ± 11%) undergoing right heart catheterization (RHC) prior to surgical (70%) or transcatheter (30%) AVR. Echocardiography to assess post-AVR PH, defined as estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure > 45 mmHg, was performed after a median follow-up of 15 months. (3) Results: There were 83/205 (40%) patients with pre-AVR PH (defined as mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mmHg by RHC), and 24/205 patients (12%) had post-AVR PH (by echocardiography). Among the patients with post-AVR PH, 21/24 (88%) had already had pre-AVR PH. Despite similar indexed aortic valve area, patients with post-AVR PH had higher mPAP, mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure (mPAWP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and lower pulmonary artery capacitance (PAC) than patients without. (4) Conclusions: Patients presenting with PH roughly one year post-AVR already had worse hemodynamic profiles in the pre-AVR RHC compared to those without, being characterized by higher mPAP, mPAWP, and PVR, and lower PAC despite similar AS severity.