Pulmonary vascular disease & thromboembolism
Peripheral microvascular function is linked to cardiac involvement on cardiovascular magnetic resonance in systemic sclerosis–related pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors' conclusion
SSc-PAH patients showed higher markers of cardiac fibrosis and inflammation, compared with IPAH patients. These markers correlated well with peripheral microvascular dysfunction, suggesting that SSc-driven inflammation and vasculopathy concurrently affect peripheral microcirculation and the heart.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with SSc-PAH and idiopathic PAH (IPAH) undergoing cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), echocardiography and nailfold capillaromicroscopy with post-occlusive reactivity hyperaemia (PORH) testing on the same day
- Participants
- 20 vs 5
- Exposure
- SSc-PAH vs IPAH
- SSc-PAHn = 20
- IPAHn = 5reference
- Outcome
- Relationship between cardiac involvement on CMR (oedema, fibrosis/ECV, myocardial perfusion) and peripheral microvascular disease severity on NCM
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Nailfold capillary density (NCD) correlated with ECV
r = −0.443
P < 0.05
NCD correlated with T2
r = −0.464
P < 0.05
PORH testing, but not NCD, correlated with relative myocardial upslope
r = 0.421
P < 0.05
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
CMR and nailfold capillaromicroscopy (NCM) measures, SSc-PAH vs IPAH
- SSc-PAH had higher T2 values and a trend towards higher ECV vs IPAH
- SSc-PAH had lower NCD and reduced capillary recruitment after PORH
Original publication
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