Abstract

Background:Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-APAH) experience higher mortality rates than patients with idiopathic disease and those with other connective tissue diseases (CTD-APAH). We sought to identify unique predictors of mortality associated with SSc-APAH in the CTD-APAH population. Methods:The Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-Term PAH Management (REVEAL) is a multicenter, prospective US-based registry of patients with previously and newly diagnosed (enrollment within 90 days of diagnostic right heart catheterization) PAH. Cox regression models evaluated all previously identified candidate predictors of mortality in the overall REVEAL population to identify significant predictors of mortality in the SSc-APAH (n=500) versus non-SSc-CTD-APAH (n=304) populations. Results:Three-year survival in the previously diagnosed and newly diagnosed SSc-APAH group was 61.4±2.7% and 51.2±4.0%, respectively, compared with 80.9±2.7% and 76.4±4.6%, respectively, in the non-SSc-CTD-APAH group (P<.001). In multivariate analyses, males aged >60 years, systolic blood pressure (SBP) =110 mmHg, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) <165 m, mean right atrial pressure (mRAP) >20 mmHg within 1 year, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) >32 WU remained unique predictors of mortality in the SSc-APAH group; 6MWD =440 m was protective in the non-SSc-CTD-APAH group, but not the SSc-APAH group. Conclusions:Patients with SSc-APAH have higher mortality rates than non-SSc-CTD-APAH patients. Identifying SSc-APAH patients who are at particularly high risk of death, including elderly males and patients with low baseline SBP or 6MWD, or markedly elevated mRAP or PVR, will enable clinicians to identify patients who may benefit from closer monitoring and more aggressive treatment. Registered at:www.clinicaltrials.gov #NCT00370214.Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-APAH) experience higher mortality rates than patients with idiopathic disease and those with other connective tissue diseases (CTD-APAH). We sought to identify unique predictors of mortality associated with SSc-APAH in the CTD-APAH population.The Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-Term PAH Management (REVEAL) is a multicenter, prospective US-based registry of patients with previously and newly diagnosed (enrollment within 90 days of diagnostic right heart catheterization) PAH. Cox regression models evaluated all previously identified candidate predictors of mortality in the overall REVEAL population to identify significant predictors of mortality in the SSc-APAH (n=500) versus non-SSc-CTD-APAH (n=304) populations.Three-year survival in the previously diagnosed and newly diagnosed SSc-APAH group was 61.4±2.7% and 51.2±4.0%, respectively, compared with 80.9±2.7% and 76.4±4.6%, respectively, in the non-SSc-CTD-APAH group (P<.001). In multivariate analyses, males aged >60 years, systolic blood pressure (SBP) =110 mmHg, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) <165 m, mean right atrial pressure (mRAP) >20 mmHg within 1 year, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) >32 WU remained unique predictors of mortality in the SSc-APAH group; 6MWD =440 m was protective in the non-SSc-CTD-APAH group, but not the SSc-APAH group.Patients with SSc-APAH have higher mortality rates than non-SSc-CTD-APAH patients. Identifying SSc-APAH patients who are at particularly high risk of death, including elderly males and patients with low baseline SBP or 6MWD, or markedly elevated mRAP or PVR, will enable clinicians to identify patients who may benefit from closer monitoring and more aggressive treatment.www.clinicaltrials.gov #NCT00370214.

View details for DOI 10.1378/chest.13-3014

View details for PubMedID 24992469