Balloon pulmonary angioplasty improved cognitive performance and reduced plasma Aβ1-42 and p-tau217 levels in 131 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
Observational (n=131)
No
Does balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) improve cognitive function and reduce cognitive biomarkers in patients with CTEPH?
Balloon pulmonary angioplasty improves cognitive function and reduces plasma biomarkers of cognitive impairment in patients with CTEPH.
Abstract Rationale Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a severe and progressive condition characterized by key symptoms such as dyspnea and fatigue. These symptoms impair physical functioning, causing patients to struggle with performing their daily activities, including cognitive function. Our previous study reported cognitive impairment in pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients. This study aims to evaluate the effect of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) on the cognitive impairment of patients with CTEPH. Methods This was a prospective study involving a total of 131 patients with CTEPH who underwent BPA, continuously enrolled from January 2021 to July 2025 at the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. We collected Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaires and examined plasma Aβ and phosphorylated-tau217 (p-tau217) levels to assess the cognitive function of patients with CTEPH between the pre-BPA and post-BPA stages. Results Following BPA, patients exhibited improved cognitive performance, accompanied by reduced plasma levels of Aβ1-42 and p-tau217. After the third BPA session, patients with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) of ≥ 25 mmHg had significantly lower MMSE and MoCA scores compared to those with an mPAP of 25 mmHg. Linear regression analyses revealed that baseline and post-intervention MMSE or MoCA total scores were significant predictors of cardiac output (CO) levels measured after the last BPA procedure. Additionally, plasma p-tau217 levels were markedly higher in patients with abnormal scores on both MMSE and MoCA compared to those with normal scores or impairment on only one test at baseline. Logistic regression analyses incorporating pre- and post-BPA clinical parameters identified three independent predictors of baseline cognitive dysfunction: lower educational attainment, higher baseline Aβ1-42 levels, and elevated baseline p-tau217 concentrations. Conclusion Our findings suggest promising therapeutic effects of BPA, associated with improvements in cognitive dysfunction and reductions in plasma Aβ1-42 and p-tau217 levels in patients with CTEPH. This abstract is funded by: None
Sun et al. (Fri,) conducted a observational in Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) (n=131). Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) vs. Pre-BPA baseline was evaluated on Cognitive function (MMSE and MoCA scores) and plasma Aβ and p-tau217 levels. Balloon pulmonary angioplasty improved cognitive performance and reduced plasma Aβ1-42 and p-tau217 levels in 131 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.