Pulmonary Circulation (Apr 2023)

Current status of diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension in Chinese tertiary hospitals: A nationwide survey

  • Meng Zhang,
  • Wanmu Xie,
  • Yao Xiao,
  • Wei Guo,
  • Yan Wang,
  • Wenmei Zhang,
  • Shengchen Duan,
  • Qian Gao,
  • Shuai Zhang,
  • Yunxia Zhang,
  • Xueran Guo,
  • Ao Yin,
  • Jiafei Peng,
  • Jun Wan,
  • Zhenguo Zhai,
  • Group of Pulmonary Embolism and Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Chinese Thoracic Society; Working Committee of Pulmonary Embolism and Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Chinese Association of Chest Physicians; Expert Committee, National Project of Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/pul2.12241
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 2
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

Read online

Abstract We intended to evaluate the diagnosis and treatment status of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in China and provide the basis for the design of the Chinese PH centers system. A questionnaire survey was conducted by sampling from Chinese Class A tertiary hospitals that have carried out the clinical work of PH, including the composition of PH clinical team, the current application of examinations related to PH diagnosis, the availability of PAH‐specific medicine and the implementation of PH‐related intervention and surgery. A total of 44 valid questionnaires from 20 provinces were collected in this survey. In the vast majority of centers (83.33%, n = 35), pulmonary artery catheterization was routinely performed under X‐ray guidance. In 19.05% (n = 8) of centers, pressure measurements were determined at the right time (the end of normal expiration). Only 73.81% (n = 31) centers have carried out acute vasoreactivity testing. Prostacyclin analogues and prostaglandin receptor agonists were just prescribed in 45.45% (n = 20) of the centers. 19 centers (43.18%) were capable of performing balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) and pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), while 25% (n = 11) were able to perform BPA, PEA, and lung transplantation. There was no significant difference in the diagnosis and treatment of PH between economic regions. The majority of Chinese tertiary hospitals were well equipped with the corresponding personnel, examinations and medicines related to PH, but the standardization and specialization of the management of PH need to be strengthened.

Keywords