Interpretation:recommendations of the 6st World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension（Ⅱ）——haemodynamic definitions and updated clinical classification of pulmonary hypertension / 中国实用内科杂志

Pulmonary hypertension(PH)has been defined as mean pulmonary arterial pressure(mPAP）≥25 mmHg at rest,measured by right heart catheterisation. The 6 th WSPH suggested a new pressure level to define an abnormal elevation as the mPAP>20 mmHg and the need for PVR≥3 WU to define the presence of pre-capillary PH. Regarding clinical classification,the main changes were the inclusion in group 1 of a subgroup“pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH)long-term responders to calcium channel blockers”and a subgroup“PAH with overt features of venous/capillaries involvement“.

Evaluation of therapeutic effects of spironolactone on schistosomal pulmonary arterial hypertension by echocardiography / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of spironolactone on schistosomal pulmonary arterial hypertension(SPAH). Methods A total of 62 patients suffered from hepatosplenic schistosomiasis with pulmonary arterial hypertension were divided into the spironolactone group(n=31) and control group (n=31). All the patients underwent serial echocardiography and the clinical effect before and after the treatment was evaluated by assessing the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary arterial diameter (PAD). At the same time, the varieties of the clinical symptoms, signs and the distance of the 6-minute walking test (6-MWT) were investigated. Results In spironolactone group, mPAP(-x±s) decreased from (31.8±7.1) mmHg to (21.2±2.1) mmHg, PAD(-x±s) decreased from (28.0±5.0) mm to (20.0±3.5) mm before and after the treatment respectively(P<0.01). There were significant differences in mPAP, PAD, the distance of 6-MWT and the heart function before and after the treatment in the spironolactone group. However, the data did not show the significant difference in the control group. Conclusion The therapeutic effect of spironolactone in the treatment of SPAH is satisfactory.

Effects of Amrinone on Systemic and Pulmonary Arterial Pressure in Infants with Intracardiac Left to Right Shunt / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Amrinone is a nonglycosidic noncatecholamine with both vasodilator and positive inotropic effects that has not been evaluated widely in pediatric patients with intracardiac left to right shunts. The present study was performed to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of amrinone in infants and children with intracardiac left to right shunts. METHODS: Twenty patients (aged 2 months to 24 months) who underwent open heart surgery to correct one or more intracardiac left to right shunts were evaluated. Before cardiopulmonary bypass, a 22 gauge angiocatheter was placed at the main pulmonary artery by surgeons to measure pulmonary arterial pressure. Patients with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure or = 25 mmHg were assigned to Group B (n = 10). Mean systemic arterial pressure (MAP), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), central venous pressure (CVP) and heart rate (HR) were measured before loading of amrinone (3 mg/kg), 5 minutes, and 15 minutes after continuous infusion of amrinone (10 microgram/kg). The mean pulmonary arterial pressure to mean systemic arterial pressure ratio (MPAP/MAP) and rates of changes of mean arterial pressure (delta MAP) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (delta MPAP) were calculated. RESULTS: Amrinone reduced MAP, MPAP, CVP and increased HR. MPAP/MAP increased in Group A but decreased in Group B (P < 0.05). In Group A, delta MAP was significantly greater than that of Group B (P < 0.005). In Group B, delta MPAP was significantly greater than that of Group A (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: In infants with intracardiac left to right shunts, amrinone reduces MAP, MPAP, CVP and increases HR. Amrinone appears to have a potent vasodilating effect on the pulmonary artery in infants with pulmonary hypertension. However, more hemodynamic measurements such as cardiac output, vascular resistance and doppler echocardiographic study are necessary to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of amrinone precisely.

Evaluation of Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure Following Experimental Pulmonary Embolism in Dogs

In various autopsy series, overdiagnosis as well as underdiagnosis of pulmonary embolism has been reported. During the past decade, mortality rate has not declined despite advances in diagnostic methods. To evaluate the hypothesis that changes of hemodynamic parameters responded by mean pulmonary arterial pressure differences are of paramount importance to guide prognosis, experimental model of anesthetized dogs was used. Six dogs were anesthetized with 15 milligrams per kilogram of pentobarbital sodium, given intravenously and paralyzed with 2 milligrams of pancuronium bromide. 0.3 to 0.8 gram per kilogram of autologous blood clot was infused into the right atrium through a left external jugular vein. The dogs after embolization were divided into group A(mean pulmonary arterial pressure 33mmHg) and group B(mean pulmonary arterial pressure 43 mmHg). Each group of three dogs was monitored for a total of 4.5 hours. A 7F Swan-Ganz catheter was positioned and used to measure with fluid-filled transducer pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure and mean right atrial pressure. Cardiac ouput was measured in triplicate by thermodilution and divided by weight to obtain the cardiac index. Blood gases, pH and saturation of arterial blood were measured. White blood cell and platerlets were counted in arterial blood. The results are as follows : 1) Changes in mean arterial pressure showed no significant differences between group A and group B following embolization. 2) Changes in mean pulmonary arterial pressure showed significant differences between group A and group B(p<0.05). 3) Changes in cardiac index showed significant differences between group A and group B after 45 minutes following embolization(p<0.05). 4) Changes in total pulmonary resistance showed significant differences between group A and group B after 45 minutes following embolization(p<0.05). 5) PaO2 showed significant differences between group A and group B after one hour following embolization(p<0.05), but arterial pH showed no significant difference. 6) Changes in mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, mean right atrial pressure and heart rates showed no significant differences between group A and group B following embolization. In conclusion, changes in mean pulmonary arterial pressure, cardiac index, total pulmonary resistance and PaO2 showed significant differences between group A and group B following embolization.