Efficacy of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Disease Patients with Exercise Pulmonary Hypertension

Background The efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) with or mild pulmonary hypertension (PH) or without PH remains unknown. Exercise pulmonary hypertension (Ex-PH) is associated with impaired exercise capacity and ventilatory efficiency, even under normalized pulmonary hemodynamics at rest. We hypothesized that patients with Ex-PH and/or hypoxemia would be candidates for BPA. We aimed to verify the prevalence and clinical profiles of Ex-PH and the effect of BPA on oxygenation and Ex-PH in patients with CTEPD with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) < 25 mmHg. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 29 patients with CTEPD and mPAP < 25 mmHg at rest, who had undergone a cardiopulmonary exercise test with right heart catheterization (median age, 65 years; 38% male). Patients were divided into two groups: Ex-PH, defined as a cardiac output slope (mPAP/CO slope) > 3.0, and non-Ex-PH. Results Overall, six patients had mild PH (mPAP: 21–24 mmHg), and 16 and 13 were assigned to the Ex-PH and Non-Ex-PH groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in the clinical parameters, including hemodynamics at rest, blood gas analysis, and 6-minute walk distance, between the Ex-PH and Non-Ex-PH groups. Among the 16 patients with Ex-PH and/or long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT), BPA improved the World Health Organization-functional class (WHO-FC) and PaO 2 in association with a decrease in the mPAP/CO slope. All nine patients discontinued LTOT after BPA. No significant complications were observed during each BPA session. Conclusions Ex-PH was common among patients with CTEPD and mPAP < 25 mmHg. BPA can improve symptoms, oxygenation, and exercise hemodynamics in patients with CTEPD and Ex-PH and/or hypoxemia. What is Known? BPA has been recommended for patients with non-operable CTEPH. Although there is still a small body of evidence, BPA for patients with CTEPD with mild PH (mPAP < 25 mmHg) or without PH can safely improve symptoms. The prevalence of Ex-PH in CTEPD patients with or without PH is unknown. What the Study Adds? Approximately 50% of CTEPD patients with mild PH or without PH had Ex-PH. In patients with CTEPD with mPAP < 25 mmHg, BPA improves exercising hemodynamics, such as the mPAP/CO slope, which could be a parameter to determine the indication for BPA. Graphical Abstract. The distribution of exercise pulmonary hypertension (Ex-PH) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) with mild pulmonary hypertension (PH) or without PH, and efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for CTEPD with Ex-PH and/or hypoxemia. Blue person symbols mean Ex-PH, and white person symbols mean non-Ex-PH.