Clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and risk stratification of pulmonary hypertension in severe tricuspid regurgitation and implications for transcatheter tricuspid valve repair

Abstract

Aims

Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PHT) are often excluded from surgical therapies for tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Transcatheter tricuspid valve repair (TTVR) with the MitraClip™ technique is a novel treatment option for these patients. We aimed to assess the role of PHT in severe TR and its implications for TTVR.

Methods and results

A total of 243 patients underwent TTVR at two centres. One hundred twenty-one patients were grouped as iPHT+ [invasive systolic pulmonary artery pressures (PAPs) ≥50 mmHg]. Patients were similarly stratified according to echocardiographic PAPs (ePHT). The occurrence of the combined clinical endpoint (death, heart failure hospitalization, and reintervention) was investigated during a follow-up of 330 (interquartile range 175–402) days. iPHT+ patients were at higher preoperative risk (P < 0.01), had more severe symptoms (P = 0.01), higher N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels (P < 0.01), more impaired right ventricular (RV) function (P < 0.01), and afterload corrected RV function (P < 0.01). Procedural TTVR success was similar in iPHT+ and iPHT− patients (84 vs. 84%, P = 0.99). The echocardiographic diagnostic accuracy to detect iPHT was only 55%. During follow-up, 35% of patients reached the combined clinical endpoint. The discordant diagnosis of iPHT+/ePHT− carried the highest risk for the combined clinical endpoint [HR 3.76 (CI 2.25–6.37), P < 0.01], while iPHT+/ePHT+ patients had a similar survival-free time from the combined endpoint compared to iPHT− patients (P = 0.48). In patients with isolated tricuspid procedure (n = 131) a discordant iPHT+/ePHT− diagnosis and an impaired afterload corrected RV function (P < 0.01 for both) were independent predictors for the occurrence of the combined endpoint.

Conclusion

The discordant echocardiographic and invasive diagnosis of PHT in severe TR predicts outcomes after TTVR.