Description

Wensel et al evaluated patients with primary pulmonary hypertension during exercise testing. They identified risk factors that correlated survival and identified patients who may require more aggressive management. The authors are from multiple university hospitals in Germany and England.


 

Exercise testing was symptom-limited, using either:

(1) treadmill testing using a modified Naughton protocol, or

(2) cycle ergometer

 

Parameters:

(1) peak oxygen uptake during exercise in mL per kg per min

(2) systolic blood pressure at peak exercise

 

Parameter

Finding

Points

peak oxygen uptake

<= 10.4 mL per kg per min

1

 

> 10.4 mL per kg per min

0

systolic blood pressure

<= 120 mm Hg

1

 

> 120 mm Hg

0

 

number of risk factors =

= SUM(points for the 2 parameters)

 

Interpretation:

• minimum number of risk factors: 0

• maximum number of risk factors: 2

 

Number of Risk Factors

Survival at 12 Months

Survival at 18 Months

0

97%

87%

1

79%

52%

2

23%

23%

 


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