ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatments of patients with POEMS syndrome initially diagnosed as pulmonary hypertension (PH).Methods:Clinical data of 7 patients who were initially diagnosed as PH and finally diagnosed as POEMS syndrome in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from May 2013 to November 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, echocardiography, hemodynamic findings, treatment and prognosis of patients were analyzed.Results:Seven patients, including 4 males and 3 female, aged (55±9) (44-62) years were presented with elevated pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography at admission. Chest tightness and shortness of breath (7/7), fatigue (6/7) and lower limb edema (4/7) were the most common symptoms in the first-episode. Meanwhile, patients also presented symptoms associated with POEMS syndrome, including multiple peripheral neuropathy (7/7), multiserosal cavity effusion (6/7), organomegaly (5/7), skin changes (5/7), and endocrine lesions (4/7). Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly increased in all patients. The pulmonary arterial systolic blood pressure was (66±21)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) estimated by echocardiography. Six patients underwent right heart catheterization and significantly increased mean pulmonary artery pressure((35±9) mmHg) was confirmed; and their pulmonary vascular resistance was (4.00±2.10) Wood U. All patients received corresponding treatment for POEMS syndrome. The excise tolerance was improved in 5 patients after successful treatment with stable or reversed WHO functional class. One patient received hemodialysis treatment for uncontrolled POEMS. One patient died during follow-up. The echocardiography was followed up in 4 patients, and 2 of whom had a complete reversal of PH, 1 had a partial reversal, and 1 had not yet reversed.Conclusions:In patients with PH who have multisystem manifestations, such as multiple peripheral neuropathy, multiserosal cavity effusion, organomegaly and skin changes, POEMS syndrome should be considered, and proper and active treatment of POEMS may reverse PH and improve the prognosis of patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of patients with Takayasu arteritis associated pulmonary hypertension (TA-PH). Methods Patients diagnosed as TA-PH in Shanghai Pulmonary hospital from 2008 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed and followed up. Baseline characteristics including hemodynamics were collected. Data were summarized as mean ± standard deviation or frequency (％). Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Thirteen TA-PH patients (10 female, aged 39±11 years old) were included. The duration from symptoms onset to diagnosis was 2 months to 50 years, and ten patients were diagnosed TA and PH at the same time. Shortness of breath was the most common clinical manifestation (12 cases), followed by chest pain and tightness (8 cases) and palpitation (6 cases). All patients had a moderated WHO functional class and 8 patients were in active phase. Vessel wall thickening, lumen narrowing, occlusion and/or dilation were found in CT pulmonary angiography and angiography. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (48.0±14.0) mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistant (7.59±4.21) Wood U were increased. All patients received PH-specific therapies, and patients at active status took glucocorticoid. Stentimplantation in pulmonary artery was performed in 4 patients. Three patients died during the follow-up. Conclusions Patients with TA are at risk of PH, and PH can be the first manifestation of TA, which suggest that PH should be screened regularly in patients with TA and shortness of breath. The prognosis of TA-PH is poor. PH-specific therapies and vascular reconstruction therapy may be effective, but need further investigation.