[Etiology of severe pulmonary hypertension--possible role of metabolic syndrome].

Background: In clinical practice the association between obesity and pulmonary hypertension (PH) is not rare.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in patients with severe PH, especially cases without significant cardiac, pulmonary or vascular causes.

Methods: We retrospectively anaLyzed the records of 91 patients with severe PH in order to establish its causes.