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Pulmonary arterial hypertension and emphysema.
British Journal of Diseases of the Chest
|July 1, 1984
Summary
Emphysema may cause pulmonary hypertension, linked to lung damage rather than low oxygen. This study found higher pulmonary artery pressures correlated with emphysema severity and reduced lung function.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Cardiology
- Radiology
Background:
- Chronic airflow obstruction, particularly emphysema, can lead to pulmonary hypertension.
- The precise mechanisms linking emphysema to pulmonary hypertension require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the degree of pulmonary hypertension in patients with emphysema.
- To explore the relationship between emphysema severity, lung function, and pulmonary artery pressures.
Main Methods:
- Pulmonary artery pressures were indirectly estimated using echocardiography.
- Patients with chronic airflow obstruction (emphysema) were studied.
- Radiological emphysema score and transfer constant for carbon monoxide (KCO) were assessed.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was observed between estimated pulmonary artery end diastolic pressure (PAEDP) and radiological emphysema score (r = 0.58, P < 0.005).
- PAEDP also positively correlated with KCO (r = 0.66, P < 0.002).
- No significant correlation was found between PAEDP and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) before or after exercise, or between KCO and PaO2.
Conclusions:
- Emphysema appears to predispose individuals to pulmonary arterial hypertension.
- The observed relationship is likely attributed to pulmonary vessel destruction secondary to emphysema, rather than solely to hypoxia.