Clinical characteristics of pulmonary hypertension patients living in plain and high‐altitude regions

Abstract

Objective The demographic characteristics, ratio of aetiologies and biochemical parameters of adult patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) living in plain and high‐altitude regions were investigated and analysed. Methods In total, 2846 adult patients with PH hospitalized from 2010 to 2015 in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and Qinghai Red Cross Hospital were retrospectively investigated. Results (1) In the present study, the numbers of patients with PH in both the plain and high‐altitude regions increased annually (P < 0.05), and the in‐hospital prevalence of PH significantly increased over time in the high‐altitude region. PH was more common in women in the plain region. Furthermore, compared with PH patients living in the plain region, those living in the high‐altitude region were older (P < 0.05) and had higher smoking rates (P < 0.05). In the plain region, the greatest proportion of patients with PH belonged to group 2 (PH because of left heart disease), while in the high‐altitude region, group 3 (PH because of lung diseases and/or hypoxia) was the most common (P < 0.05). (2) Haemoglobin levels, red blood cell counts, mean platelet volumes and platelet volume distribution widths were lower in PH patients living in the plain region than in those living in the high‐altitude region. Furthermore, platelet counts were higher in patients living in the plain region than in those living in the high‐altitude region (P < 0.05). The BNP/NT‐proBNP levels were higher in PH patients living in the plain region (45.5%), which were mostly in group 4, than in those living the high‐altitude region (P < 0.05). Conclusions The data from the hospitals in both the plain and high‐altitude regions show a tendency towards increased in‐hospital prevalence of PH over the last 6 years. The most common aetiologies of PH in patients living in the plain region and high‐altitude regions were left heart disease and lung disease, respectively. Compared with PH patients living in the plain region, those living in the high‐altitude region had better cardiac function and less severe PH.

Pulmonary Hypertension in Acute and Chronic High Altitude Maladaptation Disorders

“…A recent study retrospectively analyzed etiologies of pulmonary hypertension in patients admitted over five years to the Qinghai Red Cross Hospital, located at 2200 m [289]. Interestingly, in high altitude dwellers, various clinical forms of pulmonary hypertension from clinical group 1 to 5 were diagnosed [289]. The analysis showed that the most common form was pulmonary hypertension due to lung diseases [289].…”

“…Interestingly, in high altitude dwellers, various clinical forms of pulmonary hypertension from clinical group 1 to 5 were diagnosed [289]. The analysis showed that the most common form was pulmonary hypertension due to lung diseases [289]. Pulmonary hypertension due to chronic lung disease is also common in Andean highlanders [290].…”

Systemic Blood Predictors of Elevated Pulmonary Artery Pressure Assessed by Non-invasive Echocardiography After Acute Exposure to High Altitude: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…The physiological response of the pulmonary circulation to hypoxia is to increase pulmonary arteriolar resistance, resulting in elevated pulmonary artery pressure (ePAP) (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6). Various degrees of increases in PAP at high altitudes have been reported in recent decades (3,(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10).…”

“…The physiological response of the pulmonary circulation to hypoxia is to increase pulmonary arteriolar resistance, resulting in elevated pulmonary artery pressure (ePAP) (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6). Various degrees of increases in PAP at high altitudes have been reported in recent decades (3,(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). However, excessive ePAP in response to high-altitude hypoxia is a critical physiopathological factor in hypoxic adaptation leading to high-altitude pulmonary edema in the acute phase or high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the long term (6,11).…”

LncRNA PAXIP1‐AS1 fosters the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension via ETS1/WIPF1/RhoA axis

“…Patients with a resting mean pulmonary artery pressure of 25 mm Hg or above are diagnosed as pulmonary hypertension (PH), which is divided into five groups in clinic. 1,2 Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one type of PH, featured with vasoconstriction obstructed pulmonary vasculature, adverse vascular remodelling, vascular fibrosis and stiffening structure. In the past decades, improved understanding of the pathophysiology of PAH leads to the development of efficient clinical drugs targeting vascular remodelling.…”