Interventricular septal curvature as an additional echocardiographic parameter for evaluating chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a single-center retrospective study.

Background: Noninvasive estimation of the actual systolic pulmonary artery pressure measured via right-sided heart catheterization (sPAP) is vital for the management of pulmonary hypertension, including chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Evaluation related to the interventricular septum (IVS) is generally performed with only visual assessment and has been rarely assessed quantitatively in the field of echocardiography. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the utility of echocardiographic IVS curvature to estimate sPAP in patients with CTEPH.

Mosaic attenuation pattern in non-contrast computed tomography for the assessment of pulmonary perfusion in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is difficult to diagnose as patients rarely present with specific symptoms. However, a mosaic attenuation pattern (MAP) in chest computed tomography (CT) suggests CTEPH. Areas of increased attenuation are not always visible using default CT settings for the lung.

The effects of pirfenidone in patients with an acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia.

Introduction: The prognosis of patients with an acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia (AE-IP) is poor. Pirfenidone (PFD) reduces the disease progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was evaluating whether the administration of PFD improved the outcomes of AE-IP.

Riociguat for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Usefulness of transitioning from phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor.

Background: Riociguat, the first approved drug for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), is a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) Stimulator. It directly stimulates sGC independently of nitric oxide (NO) and increases sGC sensitivity for NO. The safety and efficacy of transitioning from a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) to riociguat is unknown.

The anticoagulant effects of warfarin and the bleeding risk associated with its use in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension at a specialist center in Japan: a retrospective cohort study.

Patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) require lifelong anticoagulation therapy. However, the bleeding risk and recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in CTEPH patients who are administered warfarin have not been adequately evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of clinically relevant bleeding, recurrent VTE, and clinical worsening in patients with CTEPH who were administered warfarin.

Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure Using Echocardiography in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) is an important pulmonary hemodynamic parameter used in the management of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). We compared echocardiography-derived estimates of MPAP with right heart catheterization (RHC) to identify reliable noninvasive methods of estimating MPAP-derived RHC (MPAPRHC) in these patients.

Methods and results: Echocardiography and RHC were performed in 56 patients with CTEPH (60.

Noninvasive assessment of pulmonary vascular resistance by echocardiography in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is an important parameter in the management of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and numerous noninvasive methods for PVR prediction have been proposed. However, a systematic evaluation of the methods that are specific for CTEPH has not been conducted. We compared a variety of echocardiography-derived prediction indices with direct right heart catheterization (RHC) to identify the most reliable noninvasive indicator of PVR in patients with CTEPH.