Independent predictors of developing pulmonary hypertension in heart failure with reduced versus preserved ejection fraction

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the different clinical and echocardiographic predictors of evolving PH in patients with heart failure with and without reduced ejection fraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study included 153 heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (n = 89) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) (n = 64) both of which were subdivided into 2 subgroups according to the presence of PH. All patients were subjected to detailed clinical assessment and full transthoracic echocardiogram. There were significant differences between the 2 HFrEF subgroups regarding systolic BP, presence of diabetes, dyslipidemia, diuretics usage, all LV parameters, LAD, LAV and LAV indexed to BSA, E/A ratio, DT and severity of TR. Using multivariate analysis, the presence of diabetes (P = 0.04), diuretics usage (P = 0.04), LAV (P = 0.007) and TR grade (P < 0.001) were significant independent predictors for the development of PH among HFrEF patients. There were significant differences between the 2 HFpEF subgroups regarding presence of hypertension, diuretics usage, LAD, LAA, TR severity. Using multivariate analysis, only diuretics usage (P = 0.02) and TR grade (P < 0.0001) were significant independent predictors for the development of PH among HFpEF patients. CONCLUSION: Neither the decrease in EF among HFrEF patients nor the DD grade in HFpEF patients act as independent predictor for evolving PH. Common independent predictors for evolving PH in both HFrEF and HFpEF patients are TR grade and use of diuretics. Other independent predictors in HFrEF and not HFpEF patients are the presence of diabetes and increased LAV.