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Updated: Jan 22, 2026
Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in the Piglet
Published on: November 4, 2015
Physical activity in incident patients with pulmonary arterial and chronic thromboembolic hypertension
Stéphanie Saxer1,2, Mona Lichtblau1, Charlotte Berlier1
1Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
Introduction:
The cardinal symptom of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is dyspnea on exertion, leading to decreased activity in daily living. The aim of this study was to analyze daily physical activity in incident patients with arterial or chronic thromboembolic PH (PAH/CTEPH) and to investigate its correlation with pulmonary hemodynamics, symptoms, exercise capacity, and other outcomes.
Methods:
Incident patients with PAH/CTEPH had a 1-week activity assessment by the arm-worn accelerometer SenseWear within - 3 months/+ 2 weeks of the diagnostic right heart catheterization (RHC) and baseline assessments including 6-minute walking distance (6MWD). Activity was correlated to RHC data at rest and exercise and to other outcomes.
Results:
Thirty-nine PH-patients (24 PAH, 15 CTEPH, 23 females, 65(54;73) years, mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) 38(30;46) mmHg, cardiac output (CO) 5.2(4.6;6.3) l/min, 6MWD 458(300;593) m) were included. 64% had a sedentary lifestyle ( < 5000 steps/day), 26% were moderately active (5000-9999 steps/day), and 10% were active. In a multivariate stepwise regression analysis including age, gender, 6MWD and hemodynamics at rest and during exercise (heart rate, mPAP, stroke volume), the 6MWD was the only independent predictor of steps/day (B = 16.8 (95% CI 11.6-22.0), p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Daily physical activity as steps/day assessed in incident patients with PAH/CTEPH did not well correlate with invasive hemodynamics at rest or during exercise, but very well with the 6MWD. Whether daily activity assessments provide additional information to simple walk distance on risk factor profiles during follow-up in patients with PAH/CTEPH remains to be clarified.
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