Accuracy of Doppler-Echocardiographic Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension

Background: The validity of Doppler echocardiographic (DE) measurement of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) has been questioned. Recent studies suggest that mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) might reflect more accurately the invasive pressures. Methodology/Principal Findings: 241 patients were prospectively studied to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of mPAP for the diagnosis of PH. Right heart catheterization (RHC) and DE were performed in 164 patients mainly for preoperative evaluation of heart valve dysfunction. The correlation between DE and RHC was better when mPAP (r = 0.93) and not sPAP (r = 0.81) was assessed. Bland-Altman analysis revealed a smaller variation of mPAP than sPAP. The following ROC analysis identified that a mPAP$25.5 mmHg is useful for the diagnosis of PH. This value was validated in an independent cohort of patients (n = 50) with the suspicion of chronic-thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. The calculated diagnostic accuracy was 98%, based on excellent sensitivity of 98 % and specificity of 100%. The corresponding positive and negative predictive values were 100%, respectively 88%. Conclusion: mPAP has been found to be highly accurate for the initial diagnosis of PH. A cut-off value of 25.5 mmHg might be helpful to avoid unnecessary RHC and select patients in whom RHC might be beneficial

Fibrose pulmonar idiopática simultânea a enfisema em pacientes tabagistas Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema in smokers

OBJETIVO: Descrever os achados clínicos e funcionais de pacientes com enfisema em lobos superiores e fibrose pulmonar idiopática (FPI) em lobos inferiores, recentemente descrita na literatura. MÉTODOS: Um grupo de 11 pacientes com a presença simultânea de enfisema e FPI foi identificado retrospectivamente. Todos os pacientes realizaram tomografia computadorizada de tórax com alta resolução e provas de função pulmonar. RESULTADOS: Entre os 11 pacientes identificados, havia 8 homens e 3 mulheres, com média de idade de 70,7 ± 7,2 anos (variação, 61-86 anos). Todos os pacientes eram tabagistas (carga tabágica, 61,5 ± 43,5 anos-maço). As médias da capacidade vital forçada (CVF), do volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1) e da relação VEF1/CVF foram 72,1% ± 12,7%, 68,2% ± 11,9% e 74,4 ± 10,8, respectivamente. Os volumes pulmonares foram normais em 7 pacientes. Um padrão restritivo foi observado em 3 pacientes e hiperinsuflação estava presente em um. A capacidade de difusão pulmonar apresentou redução moderada a grave em todos os pacientes (média, 27,7% ± 12,9% do previsto). No teste da caminhada de seis minutos, realizado por 10 pacientes, a distância caminhada média foi de 358,4 ± 143,1 m, ocorrendo dessaturação >4% em 9 pacientes. Achados ecocardiográficos sugestivos de hipertensão pulmonar estavam presentes em 4 pacientes (média da pressão sistólica da artéria pulmonar, 61,8 mmHg; variação, 36-84 mmHg). CONCLUSÕES: A presença simultânea de enfisema e FPI causa alterações características nas provas de função pulmonar. O achado mais importante é a discrepância entre a capacidade de difusão e a espirometria.<br>OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and functional findings recently reported in the medical literature for patients diagnosed with emphysema involving the upper lobes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) involving the lower lobes. METHODS: Eleven patients with emphysema and IPF were identified retrospectively. All of the patients underwent high-resolution computed tomography of the lung and pulmonary function tests. RESULTS: Of the 11 patients, 8 were male and 3 were female. The mean age was 70.7 ± 7.2 years (range, 61-86 years). All of the patients were smokers (mean smoking history, 61.5 ± 43.5 pack-years). The mean values of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and FEV1/FVC were 72.1% ± 12.7%, 68.2% ± 11.9% and 74.4 ± 10.8, respectively. Lung volumes were normal in 7 patients. A restrictive pattern was observed in 3 patients, and hyperinflation was present in one. The diffusing capacity was moderately-to-severely reduced in all of the patients (mean, 27.7% ± 12.9% of predicted). Ten of the 11 patients performed the six-minute walk test. The mean distance covered was 358.4 ± 143.1 m, and 9 of the 10 patients presented desaturation > 4%. Echocardiographic findings suggestive of pulmonary hypertension were present in 4 patients (mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure, 61.8 mmHg; range, 36-84 mmHg). CONCLUSIONS: The concomitant presence of emphysema and IPF causes characteristic changes on pulmonary function tests. The most significant finding is a discrepancy between diffusing capacity and spirometry results

Eligibility for Liver Transplantation in Patients with Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) has been performed in a select group of patients presenting with unresectable or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)-associated perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) in the Mayo Clinic with a reported 5-year overall survival (OS) of 53% on intention-to-treat analysis. The objective of this study was to estimate eligibility for LT in a cohort of pCCA patients in two tertiary referral centers. Methods: Patients diagnosed with pCCA between 2002 and 2014 were included from two tertiary referral centers in the Netherlands. The selection criteria used by the Mayo Clinic were retrospectively applied to determine the proportion of patients that would have been eligible for LT. Results: A total of 732 consecutive patients with pCCA were identified, of whom 24 (4%) had PSC-associated pCCA. Overall, 154 patients had resectable disease on imaging and 335 patients were ineligible for LT because of lymph node or distant metastases. An age limit of 70 years led to the exclusion of 50 patients who would otherwise be eligible for LT. After applying the Mayo Clinic criteria, only 34 patients (5%) were potentially eligible for LT. Median survival from diagnosis for these 34 patients was 13 months (95% CI 3–23). Conclusion: Only 5% of all patients presenting with pCCA were potentially eligible for LT under the Mayo criteria. Without transplantation, a median OS of about 1 year was observed