High geographic prevalence of pulmonary artery hypertension: associations with ethnicity, drug use, and altitude

While estimates of pulmonary arterial hypertension incidence and prevalence commonly range from 1–3/million and 15–25/million, respectively, clinical experience at our institution suggested much higher rates. We sought to describe the disease burden of pulmonary arterial hypertension in the geographic area served by our Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic and compare it to the REVEAL registry. Our secondary objectives were to document pulmonary arterial hypertension prevalence in minorities underrepresented in REVEAL (Hispanics and Native Americans) and to address the association of pulmonary arterial hypertension with exposure to drugs and moderately increased residential altitude in this population. Retrospective review of pulmonary arterial hypertension clinic patients alive during 2016 identified 154 patients. Hispanic patients made up 35.7% of the cohort, a much greater percentage than REVEAL, p < .001 but smaller than the percentage of Hispanic patients (48.4%) in geographic area served by the clinic. Pulmonary arterial hypertension due to drug exposure was more common and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension was less common than in REVEAL (p < .001). Overall, pulmonary arterial hypertension incidence was 14 cases per million, greater than the REVEAL registry, odds ratio 6.3 (95% CI: 4.2–9.5), (p < .001). Annual period prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension was 93 cases per million, also greater than the REVEAL, odds ratio = 7.5 (95% CI: 6.4–8.8) and remained greater when the clinic cohort was constrained to patients with hemodynamic severity comparable to REVEAL, odds ratio = 3.8 (95% CI: 3.0–4.6), (p < .001). There was a strong association between pulmonary arterial hypertension prevalence and residence at altitude > 4000 ft, odds ratio = 26.6 (95% CI: 8.5–83.5), p < .001; however, this was potentially confounded by pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment referral patterns. These findings document a much higher local pulmonary arterial hypertension incidence and prevalence than previously reported in REVEAL. While population ethnicity differed markedly from REVEAL, the disease burden was not driven by these differences. The possible association of moderately increased residential altitude with pulmonary arterial hypertension warrants further evaluation.