Predicting Pulmonary Hypertension in Sickle Cell Patients

Three measurements — tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity, 6-minute walk distance, and N-terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide levels — were associated with a positive predictive rate of 62%.

As the longevity of patients with sickle cell disease has improved, cardiovascular disorders are being recognized with greater frequency (JW Oncol Hematol Aug 17 2010). Chief among these is pulmonary hypertension (PH), which is often suspected when a patient's tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity (TRJV), as measured by echocardiography, exceeds 2.5 m/second.

To test the validity of this criterion for PH, investigators in France prospectively studied 398 adults with sickle cell disease who underwent Doppler echocardiography. Of these 398 patients, 109 (27%) had a peak TRJV of ≥2.5 m/second. However, among 96 of these 109 patients who underwent right heart catheterization, PH (defined as mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥25 mm Hg) was confirmed …

Reviewing Author

David Green, MD, PhD

Disclosures

EquityNovartis

David Green, MD, PhD

Disclosures

EquityNovartis