Role of Right Heart Catheterization in Rheumatologic Diseases - The Indian Perspective

Pulmonary artery hypertension is an infrequent accompaniment of rheumatologic diseases. It could result as a complication of diseases like systemic sclerosis (SSc), systemic lupus erythomatosus (SLE), and mixed connective tissues diseases (MCTD). Very rarely, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis and Primary Sjogren's syndrome can also be complicated by a rise in pulmonary artery pressure. Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) can also be found in many other non rheumatologic diseases. Right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold standard investigation in diagnosing pulmonary hypertension. This article aims to discuss the role of RHC in diagnosing pulmonary hypertension, its comparison with other modalities, the procedure, and its role in treatment of connective tissue disorders, especially with a special reference to the Indian context.