Relationships between Pulmonary Hypertension Risk, Clinical Profiles, and Outcomes in Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Figure 1. PH-risk assessment with echocardiography. Low PH-risk was defined as TRV < 2.9 m/s (or not measurable), and not more than one additional echocardiography PH sign; intermediate risk was defined as TRV < 2.9 m/s with two additional PH signs, or TRV 2.9–3.4 m/s and not more than one additional PH sign; high risk was defined as TRV 2.9–3.4 m/s with two additional PH signs, or TRV > 3.4 m/s. The additional signs for echocardiographic PH were defined as the presence of at least one sign from both categories: PA (shortened AcT or enlarged PA) and IVC/RAA (enlarged IVC with no inspiratory collapse or enlarged RA). Designations: “↓”—low, “↑”—high/enlarged, “(+)”—positive sign. Abbreviations: PH—pulmonary hypertension, TRV—peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity, PA—pulmonary artery, RA/RAA—right atrium/area, AcT—acceleration time, IVC—inferior vena cava, RV/LV—right/left ventricle.

Figure 2. The division of the study population into three groups according to the PH-risk assessment based on Figure 1. Patients were divided according to TRV and, then in the absence of other PH signs, placed into a lower PH-risk group and in the presence of both (+)PA and (+)RA signs, to a higher PH-risk group. Designations: “↓”—low, “↑”—high/enlarged, “(+)”—a positive sign of either PA or RA. Abbreviations: DCM—dilated cardiomyopathy, pts—patients, TRV—peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity, PH—pulmonary hypertension, PA—pulmonary artery, AcT—acceleration time, RA/RAA—right atrium/area, IV—inferior vena cava.

Figure 3. Kaplan–Meier estimates for all-cause mortality. (A) Study population divided into three different PH-risk groups. (B) Study population divided into low and non-low PH-risk groups. Low-risk patients had a significantly lower risk of all-cause death than high- and intermediate-, and non-low PH-risk DCM patients. Abbreviations: PH–pulmonary hypertension.