Disease-Targeted Treatment Improves Cognitive Function in Patients with Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with cognitive deficits, potentially due to reduced cerebral tissue oxygenation (CTO).
• Understanding the relationship between PH, CTO, and cognitive function is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if cognitive function and CTO improve with disease-targeted medication in PH patients.
• To identify predictors of cognitive function in PH.

Main Methods:

• Twenty PH patients underwent CTO monitoring, cognitive testing (TMTs, Stroop, 5PT), 6MWD, NYHA class, and HRQoL assessment.
• Assessments were repeated after 3 months of targeted PH therapy.

Main Results:

• 45% of PH patients exhibited cognitive deficits at baseline.
• After 3 months, significant improvements were observed in TMT A and Stroop 2 test performance.
• Cognitive improvements were not linked to changes in CTO, although baseline CTO was a strong cognitive predictor.

Conclusions:

• Disease-targeted medication for PH improves cognitive function within 3 months.
• Cerebral tissue oxygenation (CTO) is a key predictor of cognitive function in PH but may not change with initial therapy.
• Larger controlled trials are needed to confirm these pilot study findings.