Abstract
We aimed to characterize the association of pulmonary hypertension due to hypoventilation and exercise capacity, and the haemodynamic and functional changes under non-invasive ventilation.
A retrospective analysis was done to assess haemodynamics and functional capacity in 18 patients with daytime pulmonary hypertension due to hypoventilation at baseline and after three months of non-invasive ventilation.
Patients presented with a mean pulmonary artery pressure of 49±13 mmHg, preserved cardiac index (3.2±0.66 l·min−1·m−2), six-minute walking distance of 303±134 m, and severely elevated NT-proBNP levels. Mean pulmonary artery pressure correlated negatively with maximum work rate (R=−0.72, p=0.03) and six-minute walking distance (R=−0.62, p=0.01). Following non-invasive ventilation we found a significant reduction of mean pulmonary artery pressure (−18 mmHg, p=<0.001), NT-proBNP levels (−2110 pg·mL−1, p=0.001), improvement in the six-minute walking distance (+66 m, p=0.008), and maximum work rate (+18 W, p=0.028). Changes in work rate correlated inversely to pulmonary artery pressure. (R= −0.75, p=0.031).
In this specific cohort with hypoventilation and severe PH, pulmonary hypertension was associated with reduced exercise capacity. Following non-invasive ventilation, haemodynamics and exercise capacity improved significantly.
- Non-invasive mechanical ventilation
- non-invasive ventilation
- obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- pulmonary artery pressure
- pulmonary circulation
- pulmonary hypertension
- ERS