Improvement in the electrocardiograms associated with right ventricular hypertrophy after balloon pulmonary angioplasty in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Abstract

Background: Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is a treatment option for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Methods and results: In 60 patients with CTEPH, we examined the hemodynamic data before and after BPA. In addition, the sequential ECG findings for right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) were assessed. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) decreased from 38 ± 11 to 20 ± 4 mm Hg (p 0.75, p < 0.01). The predictive values for the mPAP before the BPA were the S and R waves in lead V6, and P waves in lead II (33.417 + 0.078 × P in II − 0.10 × R in V6 + 0.012 × S in V6). The change in the mPAP (ΔmPAP) correlated with the change in the amplitudes of the ECGs: ΔS wave in lead I (R = 0.544, p < 0.001), ΔR in V1 + S in V5 (R = 0.476, p < 0.001), and ΔP wave in II (R = 0.511, p < 0.001). At 6 months of follow-up, the improvement in an R in V1 + S in V5 of ≧10 mm implied a better functional status. Conclusion: BPA therapy reduced the pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with CTEPH and was associated with an improvement in the ECG findings related to RVH. Keywords: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, Balloon pulmonary angioplasty, Electrocardiogram, Right ventricular hypertrophy