Is altered myocardial glucose and fatty acid metabolism associated with a maladaptive right ventricular response in pulmonary arterial hypertension?
Increased pulmonary arterial pressures in PAH are associated with a shift in RV metabolism (increased FDG/FTHA uptake ratio), which inversely correlates with RV function.
AIMS: We investigated the role of metabolic alterations in the development of a maladaptive right ventricular (RV) response in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which has not previously been undertaken. This study evaluated relationships between glucose and fatty acid metabolism obtained using PET with invasive pulmonary haemodynamics, RV measurements, and RV function to gain insight into the mechanism of RV maladaptation. METHODS AND RESULTS: (r = -0.62, P = 0.019). CONCLUSION: Increased pulmonary arterial pressures are associated with increases in the ratio of FDG/FTHA uptake in the RV. Inverse correlation between the uptake of the metabolic tracers and RV function may reflect a shift towards increased fatty acid oxidation and glycolysis associated with RV failure in maladaptive remodelling.
Ohira et al. (Tue,) studied this question.