Poor survival in patients with scleroderma and pulmonary hypertension due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Role of Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Systemic Sclerosis-Related Pulmonary Hypertension

BACKGROUND

In systemic sclerosis (SSc), pulmonary hypertension remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Although conventionally classified as group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension, systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary hypertension (SSc-PH) is a heterogeneous disease. The contribution of left-sided cardiac disease in SSc-PH remains poorly understood.

RESEARCH QUESTION

How often does left ventricular (LV) dysfunction occur in SSc among patients undergoing right heart catheterization and how does coexistent LV dysfunction with SSc-PH affect all-cause mortality in this patient population?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, observational study of 165 patients with SSc who underwent both echocardiography and right heart catheterization. LV dysfunction was identified using LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) on speckle-tracking echocardiography based on a defined threshold of > -18%. SSc-PH was defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure > 20 mmHg.

RESULTS

Among patients with SSc who have undergone right heart catheterization, LV dysfunction occurred in 74.2% with SSc-PH and 51.2% without SSc-PH. The median survival of patients with SSc-PH and LV dysfunction was 67.9 (95% CI, 38.3-102.0) months, with a hazard ratio of 12.64 (95% CI, 1.73-92.60) for all-cause mortality when adjusted for age, sex, SSc disease duration, and FVC compared with patients with SSc without pulmonary hypertension with normal LV function.

INTERPRETATION

LV dysfunction is common in SSc-PH. Patients with SSc-PH and LV dysfunction by LV GLS have increased all-cause mortality. This suggests that LV GLS may be helpful in identifying underlying LV dysfunction and in risk assessment of patients with SSc-PH.

Systemic sclerosis is associated with increased in-patient mortality in patients hospitalized for heart failure

AIMS

We aimed to analyse the characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) with co-morbid systemic sclerosis (SSc) and compare them to those without SSc, using data from the National Inpatient Sample from years 2016 to 2019.

METHODS AND RESULTS

International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision diagnosis codes were used to identify hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of HF and secondary diagnoses of SSc from the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: those with and without a secondary diagnosis of SSc. Baseline characteristics including demographics and co-morbidities, outcomes of mortality, length of stay (LOS), and costs were compared between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for confounders and assess the impact of SSc on in-hospital mortality, cost, and LOS. A total of 4 709 724 hospitalizations for HF were identified, with 8150 (0.17%) having a secondary diagnosis of SSc. These patients were predominantly female (82.3% vs. 47.8%; P = 0.01), younger (mean age of 67.4 vs. 71.4; P < 0.01), and had significantly lower rates of traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as coronary artery disease (35.8% vs. 50.6%; P < 0.01), hyperlipidaemia (39.1% vs. 52.9%; P < 0.01), diabetes (22.5% vs. 49.1%; P < 0.01), obesity (13.2% vs. 25.0%; P < 0.01), and hypertension (20.2% vs. 23.8%; P < 0.01). Higher rates of co-morbid pulmonary disease in the form of interstitial lung disease (23.1% vs. 2.0%; P < 0.01) and pulmonary hypertension (36.6% vs. 12.7%; P < 0.01) were noted in the SSc cohort. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the HF with SSc group [5.1% vs. 2.6%; odds ratio: 1.99; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60-2.48; P < 0.001]. Unadjusted mortality was also higher among female (86.7% vs. 47.0%; P < 0.01), Black (15.7% vs. 13.0%; P < 0.01), and Hispanic (13.3% vs. 6.9%; P < 0.01) patients in the SSc cohort. After adjusting for potential confounders, SSc remained independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.44-2.28; P < 0.001). Patients with HF and SSc also had longer LOS (6.4 vs. 5.4; adjusted mean difference [AMD]: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.05-0.68; P = 0.02) and higher hospitalization costs ($67 363 vs. $57 128; AMD: 198.9; 95% CI: -4780 to 5178; P = 0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients hospitalized for HF, those with SSc were noted to have higher odds of in-hospital mortality than those without SSc. Patients with HF and SSc were more likely to be younger, female, and have higher rates of co-morbid interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension at baseline with fewer traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Risk Factors for Respiratory Failure in Patients Hospitalized With Systemic Sclerosis: An Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample

Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients are at high risk for respiratory failure due to the progression of their disease. Investigating factors predictive of impending respiratory failure in this patient population can be used to improve hospital outcomes. Here, we investigate risk factors associated with developing respiratory failure in patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of SSc in the United States using a large, multi-year, population-based dataset. Methodology This retrospective study was conducted on SSc hospitalizations from 2016 to 2019 with and without a principal diagnosis of respiratory failure from the United States National Inpatient Sample database. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR_adj) for respiratory failure. Results There were 3,930 SSc hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of respiratory failure and 94,910 SSc hospitalizations without a diagnosis of respiratory failure. Among SSc hospitalizations, multivariable analysis showed that the following were associated with a principal diagnosis of respiratory failure: Charlson comorbidity index (OR_adj = 1.05), heart failure (OR_adj = 1.81), interstitial lung disease (ILD) (OR_adj = 3.62), pneumonia (OR_adj = 3.40), pulmonary hypertension (OR_adj = 3.59), and smoking (OR_adj = 1.42). Conclusions This analysis represents the largest sample to date in assessing risk factors for respiratory failure among SSc inpatients. Charlson comorbidity index, heart failure, ILD, pulmonary hypertension, smoking, and pneumonia were associated with higher odds of inpatient respiratory failure. Patients with respiratory failure had higher in-hospital mortality compared to those without it. Outpatient optimization and inpatient recognition of these risk factors can lead to improved hospitalization outcomes for SSc patients.

Myocardial Involvement in Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases

Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) are defined by the potential to affect multiple organ systems, and cardiac involvement is a prevalent but often overlooked sequela. Myocardial involvement in SARDs is medicated by macrovascular disease, microvascular dysfunction, and myocarditis. Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and sarcoidosis are associated with the greatest risk of myocardial damage and heart failure, though myocardial involvement is also seen in other SARDs or their treatments. Management of myocardial involvement should be disease-specific. Further research is required to elucidate targetable mechanisms of myocardial involvement in SARDs.

Improved Survival for Patients with Systemic Sclerosis-associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: The Johns Hopkins Registry

Rationale: To date, it remains unclear whether recent changes in the management of patients with systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary hypertension (SSc-PH) have improved survival. Objectives: To describe a cohort of patients with SSc-PH and compare their characteristics and survival between the last two decades. Methods: Patients with SSc-PH prospectively enrolled in the Johns Hopkins Pulmonary Hypertension Center Registry were grouped into two cohorts based on the date of diagnostic right heart catheterization: cohort A included patients whose disease was diagnosed between 1999 and 2010, and cohort B included those whose disease was diagnosed between 2010 and 2021. Patients' characteristics were compared between the two cohorts. Measurements and Main Results: Of 504 patients with SSc-PH distributed almost equally between the two cohorts, 308 (61%) had World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension group 1, 43 (9%) had group 2, and 151 (30%) had group 3 disease. Patients with group 1 disease in cohort B had significantly better clinical and hemodynamic characteristics at diagnosis, were more likely to receive upfront combination pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy, and had a nearly 4-year increase in median transplant-free survival in univariable analysis than those in cohort A (P < 0.01). Improved transplant-free survival was still observed after adjusting for patients' baseline characteristics. In contrast, for group 2 or 3 patients with SSc-PH, there were no differences in baseline clinical, hemodynamic, or survival characteristics between the two cohorts. Conclusions: This is the largest single-center study that compares clinical characteristics of patients with SSc-PH between the last two decades. Transplant-free survival has improved significantly for those with group 1 disease over the last decade, possibly secondary to earlier detection and better therapeutic management. Conversely, those with group 2 or 3 disease continue to have dismal prognosis.

Diversity of hemodynamic types in connective tissue disease associated pulmonary hypertension: more than a subgroup of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Objective

Connective tissue disease associated pulmonary hypertension (CTD-PH) is classified as a subgroup of WHO group 1 PH, also called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, not all CTD-PH fit hemodynamic definition of PAH. This study investigates the diversity of hemodynamic types of CTD-PH, their differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Method

We performed a retrospective cohort study. CTD-PH patients were enrolled and divided into WHO group1 PH, WHO group 2 PH and hyperdynamic PH (mPAP > 20 mmHg, PVR < 3WU, PAWP < 15 mmHg) according to hemodynamics obtained by right heart catheterization. Patients with severe lung diseases, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, pulmonary embolism, and hepatic cirrhosis were excluded. Baseline characteristics, autoantibodies, cardiac function, echocardiogram parameters, hemodynamics and survival rates were compared.

Result

A total of 202 CTD-PH patients were included, 138 in WHO group 1 PH, 33 in WHO group 2 PH and 31 in hyperdynamic PH. We found hyperdynamic PH is less severe, presenting lower NT-proBNP level, better WHO function class, lower mPAP and PVR, higher cardiac output, and less cardiac remodeling. Incidence of anti-RNP was significantly lower in patients with elevated PAWP. Short-term survival was worse in WHO group 2 PH, yet 5-year survival rates didn’t differ between groups.

Conclusion

Considering diversity in hemodynamic types, CTD-PH is more than a subgroup of PAH. Different types of CTD-PH present different clinical phenotypes and outcome. Phenotyping PH in CTD-PH patients is important.

Cardiovascular Imaging for Systemic Sclerosis Monitoring and Management

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex connective tissue disease with multiple clinical and subclinical cardiac manifestations. SSc can affect most structural components of the heart, including the pericardium, myocardium, valves, and conduction system through a damaging cycle of inflammation, ischemia, and fibrosis. While cardiac involvement is the second leading SSc-related cause of death, it is frequently clinically silent in early disease and often missed with routine screening. To facilitate identification of cardiac disease in this susceptible population, we present here a review of cardiac imaging modalities and potential uses in the SSc patient population. We describe well-characterized techniques including electrocardiography and 2D echocardiography with Doppler, but also discuss more advanced imaging approaches, such as speckle-tracking echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), and stress imaging, among others. We also suggest an algorithm for the appropriate application of these modalities in the workup and management of patients with SSc. Finally, we discuss future opportunities for cardiac imaging in SSc research to achieve early detection and to optimize treatment.

High prevalence of occult left ventricular diastolic dysfunction detected by exercise stress test in systemic sclerosis

Despite the poor prognosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) due to the co-occurrence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), presence of occult LVDD has not been sufficiently investigated. This retrospective study aimed to reveal the prevalence and determinants of occult LVDD in patients with SSc by exercise stress test. Forty-five SSc patients (age, 63 ± 13 years; men/women, 6/39) with normal pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) at rest underwent a symptom-limited exercise test with right heart catheterization using a supine cycle ergometer; haemodynamic parameters at rest, leg raise and during exercise were evaluated. Occult LVDD defined PAWP ≥ 25 mmHg during exercise was seen in 13 patients (29%). Higher PAWP, lower pulmonary vascular resistance and diastolic pulmonary pressure gradient, larger left atrium at rest, and higher PAWP during leg raise (15 ± 4 vs 10 ± 4 mmHg in non-LVDD group, p < 0.001) were observed in the occult LVDD group. The area under the ROC curve for PAWP after leg raise was largest at 0.83 (95% CI: 0.70–0.95, p = 0.001). About one-third (29%) of SSc patients with normal haemodynamics at rest showed occult LVDD. A higher PAWP after leg raise could be useful for detecting occult LVDD.

Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Connective Tissue Disease

Pulmonary hypertension (PH), a syndrome characterized by elevated pulmonary pressures, commonly complicates connective tissue disease (CTD) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The incidence of PH varies widely between CTDs; patients with systemic sclerosis are most likely to develop PH. Several different types of PH can present in CTD, including PH related to left heart disease and respiratory disease. Importantly, CTD patients are at risk for developing pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare form of PH that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Future therapies targeting pulmonary vascular remodeling may improve outcomes for patients with this devastating disease.

Pulmonary hypertension phenotypes in patients with systemic sclerosis

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) commonly affects patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is associated with significant morbidity and increased mortality. PH is a heterogenous condition and several different forms can be associated with SSc, including pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) resulting from a pulmonary arterial vasculopathy, PH due to left heart disease and PH due to interstitial lung disease. The incidence of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is also increased. Accurate and early diagnosis to allow optimal treatment is, therefore, essential. Recent changes to diagnostic haemodynamic criteria at the 6th World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension have resulted in therapeutic uncertainty regarding patients with borderline pulmonary haemodynamics. Furthermore, the optimal pulmonary vascular resistance threshold for diagnosing PAH and the role of exercise in identifying early disease require further elucidation. In this article we review the epidemiology, diagnosis, outcomes and treatment of the spectrum of pulmonary vascular phenotypes associated with SSc.

Prevalence and prognostic significance of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in systemic sclerosis

Aim: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a clinically relevant complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). We aimed to examine the prevalence, correlates and prognostic significance of HFpEF in an SSc population. Materials & methods: HFpEF was defined by the presence of exertional dyspnoea, abnormal cardiac structure (left ventricular hypertrophy or left atrial enlargement) and NT-proBN (>125 pg/ml). Results: Of the 155 studied patients, 27% had HFpEF criteria. These patients were older, had more cardiovascular risk factors, and were more likely to have atrial fibrillation or interstitial lung disease. Conclusion: Over a median follow-up of 9 years, SSc patients with HFpEF had a 3.4-fold increased risk of dying (HR: 3.37, 95% CI: 1.21-9.31), although this association has lost statistical significance after adjusting for age. On the contrary, NT-proBNP was an independent predictor of a worse prognosis.

H2 FPEF score predicts atherosclerosis presence in patients with systemic connective tissue disease

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases are common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic connective tissue diseases (SCTD) due to accelerated atherosclerosis which couldn't be explained by traditional risk factors (CVDRF).

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesized that recently developed score predicting probability of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (H₂ FPEF), as well as a measure of right ventricular-pulmonary vasculature coupling [tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE)/pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) ratio], are predictive of atherosclerosis in SCTD.

METHODS

203 patients (178 females) diagnosed with SCTD underwent standard and stress-echocardiography (SE) with TAPSE/PASP and left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling pressure (E/e') measurements, carotid ultrasound and computed tomographic coronary angiography. Patients who were SE positive for ischemia underwent coronary angiography (34/203). The H₂ FPEF score was calculated according to age, body mass index, presence of atrial fibrillation, ≥2 antihypertensives, E/e' and PASP.

RESULTS

Mean LV ejection fraction was 66.3 ± 7.1%. Atherosclerosis was present in 150/203 patients according to: 1) intima-media thickness>0.9 mm; and 2) Agatstone score > 300 or Syntax score ≥ 1. On binary logistic regression analysis, including CVDRF prevalence, echocardiographic parameters and H₂ FPEF score, only H₂ FPEF score remained significant for the prediction of atherosclerosis presence (χ² = 19.3, HR 2.6, CI 1.5-4.3, p < 0.001), and resting TAPSE/PASP for the prediction of a SE positive for ischemia (χ² = 10.4, HR 0.01, CI = 0.01-0.22, p = 0.004). On ROC analysis, the optimal threshold value for identifying patients with atherosclerosis was a H₂ FPEF score ≥2 (Sn 60.4%, Sp 69.4%, area 0.67, SE = 0.05, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

H₂ FPEF score and resting TAPSE/PASP demonstrated clinical value for an atherosclerosis diagnosis in patients diagnosed with SCTD.

Cardiac reserve by 6-minute walk stress echocardiography in systemic sclerosis

Objectives

There is a high prevalence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) which is associated with high mortality. Thus, early detection of LVDD could be important in management of SSc. We hypothesised that exercise echocardiography in SSc patients with normal resting haemodynamics may expose early phase LVDD, which could affect its prognosis, defined as cardiovascular death and unplanned hospitalisation for heart failure.

Methods

Between January 2014 and December 2018, we prospectively enrolled 140 patients with SSc who underwent 6-minute walk (6MW) stress echocardiographic studies with normal range of estimated mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) (<25 mm Hg) and mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure (mPAWP) (<15 mm Hg) at rest. We used ΔmPAP/Δcardiac output (CO) to assess pulmonary vascular reserve and ΔmPAWP/ΔCO to assess LV cardiac reserve between resting and post-6MW.

Results

During a median period of 3.6 years (IQR 2.0–5.1 years), 25 patients (18%) reached the composite outcome. Both ΔmPAP/ΔCO and ΔmPAWP/ΔCO in patients with events were significantly greater than in those without events (8.9±3.8 mm Hg/L/min vs 3.0±1.7 mm Hg/L/min; p=0.002, and 2.2±0.9 mm Hg/L/min vs 0.9±0.5 mm Hg/L/min; p<0.001, respectively). Patients with both impaired LV cardiac reserve (ΔmPAWP/ΔCO>1.4 mm Hg/L/min) and impaired pulmonary vascular reserve (ΔmPAP/ΔCO>3.0 mm Hg/L/min) had worse outcomes compared with those without these abnormalities (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The 6MW stress echocardiography revealed impaired LV cardiac reserve in SSc patients with normal resting haemodynamics. Furthermore, LV cardiac reserve independently associates with clinical worsening in SSc, providing incremental prognostic utility, in addition to pulmonary vascular parameters.

Band 3 protein function and oxidative stress in erythrocytes

Band 3 protein (B3p), anion transporter, allows the HCO₃ ^- /Cl^- exchange across plasma membrane and plays an important role for erythrocytes homeostasis. In addition, B3p is linked to proteins cytoskeleton, thus contributing to cell shape and deformability, essential to erythrocytes adjustment within narrowest capillaries. Taking into account that erythrocytes are a suitable cell model to investigate the response of the oxidative stress effects, B3p functions, and specifically anion exchange capability, determining the rate constant for SO₄ ^2- uptake, has been considered. As, in the latter years, rising attention has been addressed to membrane transport system, and particularly to this protein, the present mini-review has been conceived to report the most recent knowledge about B3p, with specific regard to its functions in oxidative stress conditions, including oxidative stress-related diseases.

Essential Hypertension Worsens Left Ventricular Contractility in Systemic Sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Primary cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is prevalent and morbid; however, the influence of traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, such as essential hypertension (HTN), are unclear. In the present study, we sought to understand the effects of HTN on left ventricular (LV) contractility in patients with SSc using echocardiographic speckle-derived global longitudinal strain (GLS).

METHODS

Fifty-six SSc patients with HTN (SSc+HTN+) and 82 SSc patients without HTN (SSc+ HTN-) were compared with 40 non-SSc controls with HTN (SSc-HTN+) and 40 non-SSc controls without HTN (SSc-HTN-), matched by age and sex. All HTN patients were on stable antihypertensive therapies. Echocardiographic measures included LV (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF), left atrial volume index (LAVI), and LV diastolic function. LV contractility was assessed by GLS, averaged across the 18 LV segments.

RESULTS

Patients with SSc had diminished GLS regardless of HTN status when compared to both control groups, despite normal LVEF (P < 0.001). SSc+HTN+ had the highest prevalence of diastolic dysfunction, with significantly higher septal E/e´, a marker of LV filling pressures (P < 0.05), as well as the largest reduction in GLS compared to SSc+HTN- and both control groups.

CONCLUSION

Speckle-derived strain revealed diminished LV contractility in patients with SSc, despite normal LVEF. SSc+HTN+ had more prominent reductions in GLS associated with evidence of LV remodeling and worsened diastolic function. Our findings demonstrate the presence of subclinical LV contractile dysfunction in SSc that is further exacerbated by concomitant HTN, thereby identifying HTN as an important modifiable CV risk factor that should be managed aggressively in this at-risk population.

Diagnostic and prognostic markers and treatment of connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: current recommendations and recent advances

INTRODUCTION

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), also referred to as group 1 pulmonary hypertension, occurs either primarily or in association with other diseases such as connective tissue diseases (CTD). Of CTD, systemic sclerosis (SSc), systemic lupus erythematosus and mixed connective tissue disease are commonly accompanied with PAH. It is of note that SSc-PAH is associated with distinctive histopathology, an unfavorable outcome, and a blunted responsiveness to modern PAH therapies.

AREAS COVERED

The data in articles published until May 2020 in peer-reviewed journals, covered by PubMed databank, are discussed. The current review introduces recent advances over the past years which have moved our understanding of CTD-PAH forward and discusses what we are currently able to do and what will be necessary in the future to overcome the yet unsatisfactory situation in the management of CTD-PAH, particularly in that of SSc-PAH.

EXPERT OPINION

A multifaceted and integrated approach would be crucial to improve the outcome of patients with SSc-PAH. The authors also propose a possible algorithm to classify and treat SSc patients with suspicion of pulmonary vascular disease.

Pulmonary Hypertension Phenotypes in Systemic Sclerosis: The Right Diagnosis for the Right Treatment

Systemic sclerosis is an auto-immune disease characterized by skin involvement that often affects multiple organ systems. Pulmonary hypertension is a common finding that can significantly impact prognosis. Molecular pathophysiological mechanisms underlying pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis can be extremely heterogeneous, leading to distinct clinical phenotypes. In addition, different causes of pulmonary hypertension may overlap within the same patient. Since pulmonary hypertension treatment is very different for each phenotype, it is fundamental to perform an adequate diagnostic work-up to properly and promptly identify the prevalent mechanism underlying pulmonary hypertension in order to start the right therapies. When pulmonary hypertension is caused by a primary vasculopathy of the small pulmonary arteries, treatment with pulmonary vasodilators, often in an initial double-combination regimen, is indicated, aimed at reducing the mortality risk profile. In this review, we describe the different clinical phenotypes of pulmonary hypertension in the scleroderma population and discuss the utility of clinical tools to identify the presence of pulmonary vascular disease. Furthermore, we focus on systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension, highlighting the advances in the knowledge of right ventricular dysfunction in this setting and the latest updates in terms of treatment with pulmonary vasodilator drugs.

The role of pulmonary arterial hypertension-targeted therapy in systemic sclerosis

Pulmonary arterial hypertension, categorized as group 1 pulmonary hypertension by the World Health Organization classification system, represents a major complication of systemic sclerosis resulting from pulmonary vascular involvement of the disease. The high mortality seen in systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension is likely due to the impairment of right ventricular systolic function and the coexistence of other non-group-1 pulmonary hypertension phenotypes that may negatively impact clinical response to pulmonary arterial hypertension-targeted therapy. This review highlights two areas of recent advances regarding the management of systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary hypertension: the tolerability of pulmonary arterial hypertension-targeted therapy in the presence of mild to moderate interstitial lung disease and the potential clinical significance of the antifibrotic effect of soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators demonstrated in preclinical studies.

Progress in Understanding, Diagnosing, and Managing Cardiac Complications of Systemic Sclerosis

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) is a complex autoimmune disease that commonly involves the cardiovascular system. Even if often subclinical, cardiac involvement is considered a poor prognostic factor as it is a leading cause of death in scleroderma patients. We review the cardiac manifestations of scleroderma, the diagnostic methods useful in detection, and current advances in therapeutic management.

RECENT FINDINGS

Beside the routine exams for the assessment of cardiac status (including EKG, standard echocardiography, provocative tests) novel techniques such as myocardial strain imaging on echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, invasive hemodynamic assessment, and endomyocardial biopsy have been demonstrated to be useful in understanding the cardiac alterations that typically affect scleroderma patients. Recent application of novel cardiac detection strategies is providing increased insight into the breadth and pathogenesis of cardiac complications of scleroderma. Further studies coupling exercise provocation, invasive and imaging assessment, and mechanistic studies in scleroderma cardiac tissue are needed to develop the optimal approach to early detection of cardiac disease in scleroderma and targeted therapies.

Systemic sclerosis: Recent insight in clinical management

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by diffuse microangiopathy and immune dysregulation which ultimately result in widespread fibrosis of skin and internal organs. Although the 2013 EULAR/ACR criteria have allowed to improve the sensitivity for SSc diagnosis, it has recently come to light that the traditional subclassification into limited and diffuse cutaneous forms does not appear to fully capture the different phenotypes of the scleroderma spectrum. In this regard, a recent large cluster analysis-based study and other ongoing projects are trying to achieve a better stratification of SSc patients, as the disease course remains largely unpredictable to date. Recent preclinical studies and randomized controlled trials have yielded encouraging results with new drugs targeting inflammatory/immunological and fibrotic pathways. One of the main unmet needs in SSc remains the early identification of patients at high mortality risk, for whom aggressiveness of therapies ought to be determined and weighed against disease prognosis. Furthermore, lung and cardiac transplantation may also be taken into account in some carefully selected patients. Though the prognosis of SSc remains poor, an optimized stratification of patients along with the recent and ongoing advances in therapies could greatly impact the natural course of the disease in the near future. Moreover, it is envisioned that there will be an increasing need in the future to further develop combination therapies to better fight against this complex disease. In this review we discussed new insights into organ involvements and therapeutic options.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction Predicts Mortality in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Primary cardiac affection is common and is a major cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc), but there are knowledge gaps regarding the effect of cardiac dysfunction on mortality.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate diastolic function in a large, unselected SSc cohort and assess the effect of diastolic dysfunction (DD) on mortality.

METHODS

SSc patients followed prospectively at the Oslo University Hospital from 2003 to 2016 with available echocardiographies and matched control subjects were included. DD was assessed by echocardiography according to the 2016 American Society of Echocardiography/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging guidelines. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) was diagnosed by right heart catheterization. Vital status was available for all patients. Cox regression analyses with hazards ratios (HRs) were conducted.

RESULTS

Diastolic function was assessed in 275 SSc patients at baseline and in 186 patients at follow-up. At baseline, 46 of the 275 SSc patients (17%) were diagnosed with DD and 195 (71%) had normal diastolic function. After a median follow-up of 3.4 years (interquartile range: 1.6 to 6.2 years), the proportion of DD increased from 17% to 29%. During follow-up, 57% of patients with DD at baseline died, compared with 13% of patients with normal diastolic function. At baseline, 86 patients had performed right heart catheterization, and 43 were diagnosed with PH; of these 60% deceased. In multivariable Cox regression analyses, DD was a stronger predictor of death (HR: 3.7; 95% CI: 1.69 to 8.14; c-index 0.89) than PH (HR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1 to 3.9; c-index 0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

DD is frequent in SSc, and the presence of DD is associated with high mortality. DD exceeds PH with respect to predicting mortality.

Decreased biventricular longitudinal strain in patients with systemic sclerosis is mainly caused by pulmonary hypertension and not by systemic sclerosis per se

Purpose

Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) due to systemic sclerosis (SSc) have high mortality. Left ventricular (LV) peak global longitudinal strain (GLS) is decreased in SSc. It is unknown whether low GLS is due to SSc or PAH. Therefore, our primary aim was to evaluate both LV and right ventricular free wall GLS (RVFW GLS) in SSc, with and without PAH, using cardiac magnetic resonance with feature tracking. Secondary aim was to relate GLS to invasive mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR).

Methods

Thirty‐eight patients with SSc, 19 patients with SSc‐PAH and 19 healthy controls for comparison, were included. Endocardial and epicardial borders were delineated in cine images (short‐axis stack and three long‐axis views) for volumetric and strain calculations.

Results

Systemic sclerosis‐PAH had lower LV and RVFW GLS than SSc (LV: P = 0·01, RV: P<0·001) and controls (LV: P = 0·02; RV: P<0·001), with no difference between SSc and controls. LV strain correlated with mPAP (R = 0·42, P = 0·03) and PVR (R = 0·52, P = 0·006). RVFW GLS correlated with mPAP (R = 0·68, P<0·001) and PVR (R = 0·59, P = 0·001). ROC curves for predicting PAH had AUC 0·73 for LV strain (P = 0·003) and 0·86 for RVFW GLS (P<0·001).

Conclusions

Lower GLS is mainly determined by increased pulmonary pressure and not by SSc per se. Low LV and RVFW GLS are indicative of increased mPAP and PVR, which opens for improved non‐invasive methods to select patients eligible for right heart catheterization and to monitor the effects of PAH therapy.

Aggressive combination therapy for treatment of systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is an important complication of systemic sclerosis with high mortality but should be regarded as a treatable manifestation of the disease. Management draws on experience from other forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension and benefits from an increasing number of licenced therapies. Outcome is variable but recent clinical trials suggest that combination therapies used early in the disease may be associated with better outcomes. This is important because previous clinical trials using short-term gain in exercise capacity did not show significant benefit compared to that observed for idiopathic or heritable forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Thus, it is important to identify cases as early as possible and to manage cases that are in a high-risk group using early combination therapy. This review summarises the most recent analyses of clinical trial data, with a focus on those patients with SSc-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension and provides the evidence base that supports current treatment recommendations for aggressive pulmonary arterial hypertension occurring in systemic sclerosis, including the early use of combination pulmonary arterial hypertension–specific drugs in appropriate cases.

Pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis: different phenotypes

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a frequent and severe complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). PH in SSc is highly heterogeneous because of the various clinical phenotypes of SSc itself and because the mechanisms of PH can vary from one patient to another. PH in SSc may be due to vasculopathy of the small pulmonary arteries (group 1; pulmonary arterial hypertension), interstitial lung disease (group 3; PH due to lung disease or chronic hypoxia) or myocardial fibrosis leading to left ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction (group 2; PH due to chronic left-heart disease). Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is not uncommon in SSc and may also cause PH in some patients (group 1′). There is a high prevalence of each of these conditions in SSc and, as such, it may be difficult to determine the dominant cause of PH in a particular patient. However, careful phenotyping of PH in SSc is important as the therapy required for each of these underlying conditions is very different. In this review, we will decipher the different phenotypes of SSc-PH.

Pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis is heterogeneous with various possible mechanismshttp://ow.ly/s98X30f0lcu