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Evaluation of the Correlation of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Pah) With the Pulmonary Artery Trunk Diameter and Serum Level of N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (Nt-Probnp) in Patients With Pah Publisher



Gharibi S1 ; Ghavami M2 ; Khederlou H2 ; Ghorashi SM2 ; Dabiran S3 ; Zeinalkhani F1, 4
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Radiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Cardiovascular Research Institute, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Community Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Source: Iranian Journal of Radiology Published:2023


Abstract

Background: Due to its non-specific symptoms, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is difficult to diagnose via non-invasive methods. Various diagnostic tests are required to evaluate PAH patients. The increased diameter of the main pulmonary artery in computed tomography (CT) imaging represents a high probability of PAH. Moreover, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and pro B-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP) can be considered as prognostic predictors in patients with PAH. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of CT-based main pulmonary artery diameter (MPAD) and the serum level of NT-proBNP (as a strong pro-inflammatory factor) with the severity of PAH in echocardiography among patients with PAH. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 63 hospitalized patients with PAH due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were recruited from 2019 to 2020 after initial evaluations and collection of serum NT-proBNP measurements and echocardiographic findings. On the chest CT scans, the largest diameter of the pulmonary artery trunk was determined, and then, correlation of CT-based MPAD with both PAH severity on echocardiography and NT-proBNP level in patients with PAH were evalu-ated. Results: The results of the present study on 63 patients (70% male; mean age, 67.02 years) showed a significant positive correlation between the MPAD and NT-proBNP level (r = 0.444, P < 0.001). Moreover, a significant positive relationship was observed between the pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and NT-proBNP (r = 0.353, P = 0.005) and also between MPAD and PAP (r = 0.306, P = 0.015). In PAH patients, the mean values of MPAD, PAP, and NT-proBNP were 32.58 mm, 47.9 mmHg, and 6563 pg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Considering the significant positive correlation between PAP, MPAD, and NT-proBNP level in subgroup comparisons based on MPAD and PAP, if the MPAD is abnormal on CT scan, additional echocardiographic assessments and serum NT-proBNP measurements can be helpful. © 2023, Author(s).