Long-Term Survival of Patients with Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Single-Center Cohort

• Published in: Acta Cardiologica Sinica Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 469 - 479
• Main Authors: Hsieh, Yu Jui, Ho, Wan-Jing, Lin, Chia-Pin, Luo, Shue-Fen, Yu, Kuang-Hui, Chen, Ji-Yih, Hsiao, Fu-Chih, Chang, Chieh-Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China (Republic : 1949- ) 中華民國心臟學會 01-05-2023; Taiwan Society of Cardiology
• Subjects: Original; Pulmonary Hypertension; Inflammation; Pulmonary arterial hypertension; Uric acid
• ISSN: 1011-6842
• DOI: 10.6515/ACS.202305_39(3).20221104A

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but severe complication of connective tissue disease (CTD). CTD-associated PAH (CTD-PAH) is the most common subgroup of PAH in East Asia. We prospectively collected 41 patients with CTD-PAH and followed them for a mean period of 43 ± 36 months. The long-term survival rates of the CTD-PAH patients at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years were 90%, 80%, 77%, and 60%, respectively. The non-survivors had more dilated main pulmonary arteries, higher pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). PAH-specific therapy resulted in improvements in functional class, 6-minute walk distance, serum uric acid, right ventricular function and PVR. Increased C-reactive protein during follow-up, indicating inflammatory processes, was also crucial for the management of CTD-PAH. Therefore targeting both PAH and inflammation is important in this specific subgroup of PAH. The results of this study may help develop treatment strategies for CTD-PAH patients.