BACKGROUND: Although transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an excellent noninvasive screening test for pulmonary hypertension, the physiologic range of Doppler echocardiography-derived pulmonary pressures remains not completely investigated. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to explore the full spectrum of pulmonary pressures and right ventricular (RV) functional indexes by TTE in healthy subjects and to investigate clinical and echocardiographic correlates. METHODS: A random sample of 1,480 healthy individuals (mean age, 36.1 ± 15.5 years; range, 20-80 years; 905 men) underwent a comprehensive TTE. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), mean pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance were estimated by standard Doppler echocardiography formulas. In addition, RV diastolic (Doppler transtricuspid inflow measurements) and systolic indexes (RV fractional area change, RV tissue Doppler peak systolic velocity, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion) were calculated. RESULTS: PASP and mean pulmonary artery pressure values were significantly higher in subjects aged > 50 years and in those with a BMI > 30 kg/m2. In particular, a PASP > 40 mm Hg was found in 118 subjects (8%) of those aged > 50 years and in 103 (7%) of those with a BMI > 30 kg/m2. No differences by age were registered in RV systolic indexes and in pulmonary vascular resistances. On multivariate analysis, in the overall study population, age, BMI, mitral E/e' ratio, and left ventricular stroke volume were the only independent predictors of PASP. CONCLUSIONS: This study delineates an estimate of pulmonary hemodynamics in a wide age range cohort of healthy subjects. Pulmonary pressures increased with age and BMI, as expected.
BACKGROUND: Although transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an excellent noninvasive screening test for pulmonary hypertension, the physiologic range of Doppler echocardiography-derived pulmonary pressures remains not completely investigated. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to explore the full spectrum of pulmonary pressures and right ventricular (RV) functional indexes by TTE in healthy subjects and to investigate clinical and echocardiographic correlates. METHODS: A random sample of 1,480 healthy individuals (mean age, 36.1 ± 15.5 years; range, 20-80 years; 905 men) underwent a comprehensive TTE. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), mean pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance were estimated by standard Doppler echocardiography formulas. In addition, RV diastolic (Doppler transtricuspid inflow measurements) and systolic indexes (RV fractional area change, RV tissue Doppler peak systolic velocity, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion) were calculated. RESULTS:PASP and mean pulmonary artery pressure values were significantly higher in subjects aged > 50 years and in those with a BMI > 30 kg/m2. In particular, a PASP > 40 mm Hg was found in 118 subjects (8%) of those aged > 50 years and in 103 (7%) of those with a BMI > 30 kg/m2. No differences by age were registered in RV systolic indexes and in pulmonary vascular resistances. On multivariate analysis, in the overall study population, age, BMI, mitral E/e' ratio, and left ventricular stroke volume were the only independent predictors of PASP. CONCLUSIONS: This study delineates an estimate of pulmonary hemodynamics in a wide age range cohort of healthy subjects. Pulmonary pressures increased with age and BMI, as expected.
Authors: Alberto M Marra; Nicola Benjamin; Francesco Ferrara; Olga Vriz; Michele D'Alto; Antonello D'Andrea; Anna Agnese Stanziola; Luna Gargani; Antonio Cittadini; Ekkehard Grünig; Eduardo Bossone Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2016-10-06 Impact factor: 2.357
Authors: Olga Vriz; Gruschen Veldman; Luna Gargani; Francesco Ferrara; Paolo Frumento; Michele D'Alto; Antonello D'Andrea; Sarah Aldosari Radaan; Rosangela Cocchia; Alberto Maria Marra; Brigida Ranieri; Andrea Salzano; Anna Agnese Stanziola; Damien Voilliot; Gergely Agoston; Filippo Cademartiri; Antonio Cittadini; Jaroslaw D Kasprzak; Ekkehard Grünig; Francesco Bandera; Marco Guazzi; Lawrence Rudski; Eduardo Bossone Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2021-07-05 Impact factor: 2.357
Authors: Bashar N Alzghoul; Mohammad As Sayaideh; Brian F Moreno; Saminder K Singh; Ayoub Innabi; Raju Reddy; Eric S Papierniak; Hassan M Alnuaimat Journal: ERJ Open Res Date: 2021-03-08
Authors: Eduardo M Moreira; Henning Gall; Maarten J G Leening; Lies Lahousse; Daan W Loth; Bouwe P Krijthe; Jessica C Kiefte-de Jong; Guy G Brusselle; Albert Hofman; Bruno H Stricker; Hossein A Ghofrani; Oscar H Franco; Janine F Felix Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-06-23 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Egidio Imbalzano; Marco Vatrano; Alberto Lo Gullo; Luana Orlando; Alberto Mazza; Vincenzo Antonio Ciconte; Vincenzo Russo; Clemente Giuffrida; Pierpaolo Di Micco; Antonio Giovanni Versace; Giuseppe Mandraffino; Giovanni Squadrito Journal: J Pers Med Date: 2021-05-31