Abstract
Background: Pulmonary hypertension secondary to left heart disease (WHO Group 2)is a known risk factor in patients with heart failure. The favourable effect of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD)on pulmonary hypertension has been demonstrated before, although this effect has not been well-studied in advanced pulmonary arterial bed disease with a significant elevation in pulmonary vascular resistance. Methods: We reviewed the records of 258 LVAD patients in our institution. Patients with elevated mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP > 25 mmHg)and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR ≥3 Wood units)were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on their baseline PVR (PVR = 3–5 Wood units (WU)vs. PVR > 5 WU). The groups were studied for the changes in their pulmonary haemodynamics after the placement of LVAD. Results: Fifty-one (51)patients were included in the study. All patients showed a significant improvement in their pulmonary haemodynamic parameters post LVAD placement. In the group with the higher PVR, mPAP dropped from a baseline of 43 ± 7 mmHg to 22 ± 6 mmHg post LVAD placement (p < 0.001), while PVR dropped from 6.3 ± 1.2 Wood units to 2.2 ± 1.1 Wood units (p < 0.001). In a subgroup of patients who underwent cardiac transplantation post LVAD (n = 14), all patients maintained a normalised PVR (<3WU)one year post cardiac transplantation. Conclusions: Left ventricular assist devices can reverse pulmonary hypertension WHO Group 2 with significantly elevated PVR; this effect is not dependent on the baseline PVR, and is maintained up to one year post cardiac transplantation.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 946-952 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Heart Lung and Circulation |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2019 |
Keywords
- High PVR
- LVAD
- Pulmonary hypertension
- WHO group 2
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine