Inflammation and congenital heart disease associated pulmonary hypertension

Increased blood flow may trigger pulmonary arterial wall inflammation, which may influence progression of pulmonary artery hypertension in patients with congenital heart disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between preoperative inflammation markers and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

A total of 201 patients with pulmonary hypertension were enrolled in this study retrospectively; they had undergone open heart surgery between January 2012 and December 2013. Patients' preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, red blood cell distribution width, pulmonary pressures, and postoperative outcomes were evaluated.

Patient age, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, red blood cell distribution width, and CRP were found to be significantly correlated with both preoperative peak and mean pulmonary artery pressures. These data were entered into a linear logistic regression analysis. Patient age, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, and CRP were found to be independently correlated with peak pulmonary pressure (P < .001, P < .001, and P = .004) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (P < .001, P < .001, and P = .001), whereas preoperative mean pulmonary artery pressure was found to be independently correlated with intensive care unit stay (P < .001). No parameter was found to be significantly correlated with extubation time and mortality. Eighteen patients had experienced pulmonary hypertensive crisis; in this subgroup, patients' mean pulmonary artery pressure and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were found to be significant (P = .047, P = .003).

Preoperative inflammation markers may be correlated with the progression of pulmonary hypertensive disease, but further studies with larger sample size are needed to determine the predictive role of these markers for postoperative outcomes.