Pulmonary hypertension in connective tissue diseases: What every CTD specialist should know - but is afraid to ask!

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a possible complication of connective tissue diseases (CTDs), especially systemic sclerosis (SSc), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). It is defined by an elevation of the mean pulmonary arterial pressure above 20mmHg documented during a right heart catheterization (RHC). Due to their multiorgan involvement, CTDs can induce PH by several mechanisms, that are sometimes intricated: pulmonary vasculopathy (group 1) affecting arterioles (pulmonary arterial hypertension, PAH) and possibly venules (pulmonary veno-occlusive-like disease), left-heart disease (group 2), chronic lung disease (group 3) and/or chronic thromboembolic PH (group 4). PH suspicion is often raised by clinical manifestations (dyspnea, fatigue), echocardiographic data (increased peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity), isolated decrease in DLCO in pulmonary function tests, and/or unexplained elevation of BNP/NT-proBNP. Its formal diagnosis always requires a hemodynamic confirmation by RHC. Strategies for PH screening and RHC referral have been extensively investigated for SSc-PAH but data are lacking in other CTDs. Therapeutic management of PH depends of the underlying mechanism(s): PAH-approved therapies in group 1 PH (with possible use of immunosuppressants, especially in case of SLE or MCTD); management of an underlying left-heart disease in group 2 PH; management of an underlying chronic lung disease in group 3 PH; anticoagulation, pulmonary endartectomy, PAH-approved therapies and/or balloon pulmonary angioplasty in group 4 PH. Regular follow-up is mandatory in all CTD-PH patients.

Nailfold capillaroscopy and candidate-biomarker levels in systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary hypertension: A cross-sectional study

Objectives

Pulmonary hypertension is one of the leading causes of death in systemic sclerosis. Early detection and treatment of pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis is crucial. Nailfold capillaroscopy microscopy, vascular autoantibodies AT1R and ETAR, and several candidate-biomarkers have the potential to serve as noninvasive tools to identify systemic sclerosis patients at risk for developing pulmonary hypertension. Here, we explore the classifying potential of nailfold capillaroscopy microscopy characteristics and serum levels of selected candidate-biomarkers in a sample of systemic sclerosis patients with and without different forms of pulmonary hypertension.

Methods

A total of 81 consecutive systemic sclerosis patients were included, 40 with systemic sclerosis pulmonary hypertension and 41 with no pulmonary hypertension. In each group, quantitative and qualitative nailfold capillaroscopy microscopy characteristics, vascular autoantibodies AT1R and ETAR, and serum levels of 24 soluble serum factors were determined. For evaluation of the nailfold capillaroscopy microscopy characteristics, linear regression analysis accounting for age, sex, and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide percentage predicted was used. Autoantibodies and soluble serum factor levels were compared using two-sample t test with equal variances.

Results

No statistically significant differences were observed in quantitative or qualitative nailfold capillaroscopy microscopy characteristics, or vascular autoantibody ETAR and AT1R titer between systemic sclerosis-pulmonary hypertension and systemic sclerosis-no pulmonary hypertension. In contrast, several serum levels of soluble factors differed between groups: Endostatin, sVCAM, and VEGFD were increased, and CXCL4, sVEGFR2, and PDGF-AB/BB were decreased in systemic sclerosis-pulmonary hypertension. Random forest classification identified Endostatin and CXCL4 as the most predictive classifiers to distinguish systemic sclerosispulmonary hypertension from systemic sclerosis-no pulmonary hypertension.

Conclusion

This study shows the potential for several soluble serum factors to distinguish systemic sclerosis-pulmonary hypertension from systemic sclerosis-no pulmonary hypertension. We found no classifying potential for qualitative or quantitative nailfold capillaroscopy microscopy characteristics, or vascular autoantibodies.

Pulmonary Manifestations in Rheumatological Diseases

Pulmonary involvement complicates the various aspects of care in patients suffering from autoimmune disorders. The epidemiological data generated over the last 10 to 15 years have improved the overall understanding of the risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms involved in pulmonary involvement in rheumatological conditions. Recent advances in genetics have provided superior insight into the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and the underlying pulmonary involvement. This review article provides a concise overview of the four most common rheumatological conditions associated with pulmonary involvement: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis/polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The clinical, epidemiological, and genetic aspects of these diseases are summarized in this article with particular emphasis on the characteristic patterns of pulmonary involvement in radiological imaging and various treatment options for each of these autoimmune diseases and their lung manifestations.

Predicting the Progression of Very Early Systemic Sclerosis: Current Insights

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune connective tissue disease with distinct pathological hallmarks (ie, inflammation, vasculopathy, fibrosis) that may predominate at different stages in the disease course with varying severity. Initial efforts to classify patients with SSc identified a subset of patients with very early SSc. These patients possessed signs of SSc (eg, Raynaud phenomenon, SSc specific autoantibodies and/or nailfold capillary abnormalities) without fulfilling complete SSc classification criteria. Recognizing the inherent value in early diagnosis and intervention in SSc, researchers have endeavored to identify risk factors for progression from very early SSc to definite SSc. The present review summarizes the clinical phenotype of patients with very early and early SSc. Through a scoping review of recent literature, this review also describes risk factors for progression to definite SSc with a focus on the specific clinical features that arise early in the SSc disease course (eg, diffuse cutaneous sclerosis, interstitial lung disease, esophageal dysfunction, renal crisis, cardiac involvement). In addition to clinical risk factors, this review provides evidence for how biological data (ie, serological, genomic, proteomic profiles, skin bioengineering methods) can be integrated into risk assessment models in the future. Furthering our understanding of biological features of very early SSc will undoubtedly provide novel insights into SSc pathogenesis and may illuminate new therapeutic targets to prevent progression of SSc.

Pulmonary Hypertension in Scleroderma- Evaluation and Management

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a clinical syndrome consisting of physiologic/hemodynamic criteria that are a consequence of several etiologies. Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), one of the most common causes of PAH, is an autoimmune disorder of the connective tissue leading to fibrosis that involves the skin, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, heart, kidney etc. SSc has an annual prevalence of one to five cases for every 1000 individuals and nearly 15 percent of all cases develop PAH. At its core, Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in SSc is an obliterative vasculopathy in small to medium-sized pulmonary arterioles. A host of other local and systemic mechanisms operate in concert to gradually alter the hemodynamics resulting in elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and thus right ventricular afterload. A diagnosis of PAH in SSc is virtually a death sentence, with studies reporting a mortality rate of 50 per cent in the 3 years of diagnosis. Therefore, developing and implementing a robust screening and diagnosis protocol is crucial in the fight against this pervasive disease. This review aims to summarize the current literature of PAH in SSc, with a special focus on the screening and diagnosis protocols, newer treatment options and prognostic indicators for the same.

The Pathophysiological Roles of Regulatory T Cells in the Early Phase of Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by vascular damage and fibrosis. Both clinical manifestations and immunological disturbances are diverse according to the disease duration. Particularly, changes in immunological processes are prominent in the early phase of SSc. The orchestration of several subsets of immune cells promotes autoimmune responses and inflammation, and eventually stimulates pro-fibrotic processes. Many reports have indicated that CD4⁺ T cells play pivotal roles in pathogenesis in the early phase of SSc. In particular, the pathogenic roles of regulatory T (Treg) cells have been investigated. Although the results were controversial, recent reports suggested an increase of Treg cells in the early phase of SSc patients. Treg cells secrete transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which promotes myofibroblast activation and fibrosis. In addition, the dysfunction of Treg cells in the early phase of SSc was reported, which results in the development of autoimmunity and inflammation. Notably, Treg cells have the plasticity to convert to T-helper17 (Th17) cells under pro-inflammatory conditions. Th17 cells secrete IL-17A, which could also promote myofibroblast transformation and fibrosis and contributes to vasculopathy, although the issue is still controversial. Our recent transcriptomic comparison between the early and late phases of SSc revealed a clear difference of gene expression patterns only in Treg cells. The gene signature of an activated Treg cell subpopulation was expanded in the early phase of SSc and the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was enhanced, which can promote Th17 differentiation. And this result was accompanied by the increase in Th17 cells frequency. Therefore, an imbalance between Treg and Th17 cells could also have an important role in the pathogenesis of the early phase of SSc. In this review, we outlined the roles of Treg cells in the early phase of SSc, summarizing the data of both human and mouse models. The contributions of Treg cells to autoimmunity, vasculopathy, and fibrosis were revealed, based on the dysfunction and imbalance of Treg cells. We also referred to the potential development in treatment strategies in SSc.

Clinical phenotypes, hemodynamic characteristics and prognosis of Chinese patients with systemic sclerosis-associated precapillary pulmonary hypertension: a retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This study aimed to explore the prevalence, clinical features, hemodynamic characteristics and prognosis of different severity of ILD in a cohort of patients with SSc-associated precapillary pulmonary hypertension (SSc-PH) and investigate the differences between SSc-PAH and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) patients.

METHOD

SSc-PH patients and IPAH patients, admitted to Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (August 1, 2008-January 31, 2020) and diagnosed by right-sided heart catheterization (RHC) or echocardiography, were retrospectively included. SSc-PH patients had a baseline chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and PH classification was based on the extent of ILD. Clinical, pulmonary function, hemodynamic characteristics and survival data were extracted.

RESULTS

The study included 45 SSc-PH patients (60% had coexisting ILD and 77.8% were SSc-Group 1 PH/SSc-PAH [without ILD or with mild ILD], 22.2% were SSc-Group 3 PH/SSc-PH with severe ILD) and 52 IPAH patients. SSc-PH with ILD had lower arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO₂) than those without ILD. Hemodynamic characteristics and survival rates were comparable between SSc-PAH with mild ILD and those without ILD. SSc-Group 3 PH had lower pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and more severe restrictive ventilatory dysfunction than SSc-Group 1 PH, but the survival rate was equally poor. SSc-PAH had a poorer prognosis than IPAH patients despite the better hemodynamic characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

ILD was common in SSc-PH patients. Careful phenotyping of PH in SSc-PH patients is very important as it is imperative to recognize its impact on clinical course, treatment and survival.

KEY POINTS

• ILD was common in Chinese SSc-PH patients. • SSc-PH patients with ILD had lower PaO₂ than those without ILD. • Hemodynamic characteristics and survival rates were similar in SSc-PAH patients with mild ILD and those without ILD. • Patients in SSc-Group 3 PH had lower pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and more severe restrictive ventilatory dysfunction than those in SSc-Group 1 PH, but the survival rate was equally poor. SSc-PAH patients had a poorer prognosis than IPAH patients despite their better hemodynamic characteristics.

Dysregulation of the gene signature of effector regulatory T cells in the early phase of systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated flow-cytometric and transcriptome features of peripheral blood immune cells from early-phase (disease duration < 5 years) systemic sclerosis (SSc) in comparison to late-phase SSc.

METHODS

Fifty Japanese patients with SSc (12 early SSc cases and 38 late SSc cases) and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. A comparison of flow-cytometric subset proportions and RNA-sequencing of 24 peripheral blood immune cell subsets was performed. We evaluated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), characterized the co-expressed gene modules, and estimated the composition of subpopulations by deconvolution based on single-cell RNA-sequencing data. As a disease control, idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) patients were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Analyzing the data from early and late SSc, Fraction II effector regulatory T cell (Fr. II eTreg) genes showed a remarkable differential gene expression, which was enriched for genes related to oxidative phosphorylation. Although the flow-cytometric proportion of Fr. II eTregs was not changed in early SSc, deconvolution indicated expansion of the activated subpopulation. Co-expressed gene modules of Fr. II eTregs demonstrated enrichment of the DEGs of early SSc and correlation with the proportion of the activated subpopulation. These results suggested that DEGs in Fr. II eTregs from patients with early SSc were closely associated with the increased proportion of the activated subpopulation. Similar dysregulation of Fr. II eTregs was also observed in data from patients with early IIM.

CONCLUSIONS

RNA-seq of immune cells indicated the dysregulation of Fr. II eTregs in early SSc with increased proportion of the activated subpopulation.

Sex and gender in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease characterised by pulmonary vascular remodelling and elevated pulmonary pressure, which eventually leads to right heart failure and death. Registries worldwide have noted a female predominance of the disease, spurring particular interest in hormonal involvement in the disease pathobiology. Several experimental models have shown both protective and deleterious effects of oestrogens, suggesting that complex mechanisms participate in PAH pathogenesis. In fact, oestrogen metabolites as well as receptors and enzymes implicated in oestrogen signalling pathways and associated conditions such as BMPR2 mutation contribute to PAH penetrance more specifically in women. Conversely, females have better right ventricular function, translating to a better prognosis. Along with right ventricular adaptation, women tend to respond to PAH treatment differently from men. As some young women suffer from PAH, contraception is of particular importance, considering that pregnancy in patients with PAH is strongly discouraged due to high risk of death. When contraception measures fail, pregnant women need a multidisciplinary team-based approach. This article aims to review epidemiology, mechanisms underlying the higher female predominance, but better prognosis and the intricacies in management of women affected by PAH.

Inflammatory profile of induced sputum composition in systemic sclerosis and comparison with healthy volunteers

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a potentially serious and disabling connective tissue disease specially in case of interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential utility of dosing in the induced sputum (IS) and to compare their levels in SSc-ILD and SSc-nonILD patients, as well as in healthy volunteers (HV). IS and sera values were also compared. In a prospective cross-sectional analysis, we studied the IS and serum provided from 25 SSc patients, 15 SSc-nonILD and 10 SSc-ILD, compared to 25 HV. We analyzed sputum cell composition and quantified in the supernatant and corresponding serum by commercially available immunoassays: IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3, TGF-β, IL-8, TNF-α, YKL-40, MMP-7 and MMP-9. Lung function was studied by the determination of FEV-1 (%), FVC (%), DLCO (%) and KCO (%). The IS of SSc patients had a lower weight than HV (p<0.05, p<0.01) without any significant difference with regard to the cellularity. IGFBP-1 (p < 0.0001), TGF-β (p < 0.05), IL-8 (p < 0.05), YKL-40 (p < 0.0001) and MMP-7 (p < 0.01) levels were increased in the IS of SSc patients compared to HV. Only IL-8 serum levels (p < 0.001) were increased in SSc patients compared to HV. Neither in IS nor in serum were observed differences between SSc-ILD and SSc-nonILD patients. Correlations were observed between IS IL-8 levels and FEV-1 (%) (r =  = − 0.53, p < 0.01), FVC (%) (r = − 0.51, p < 0.01) and annualized ∆KCO (%) (r = 0.57, p < 0.05), between IS TGF-β levels and annualized ∆FEV-1 (%) (r =  = − 0.57, p < 0.05), between IS IGFBP-2 levels and annualized ∆KCO (%) (r = 0.56, p < 0.05). Our study showed that SSc patients exhibit raised IS levels of IGFBP-1, TGF-β, IL-8, YKL-40 and MMP-7, molecules known to be involved in lung remodeling and fibrotic process, without any significant difference between SSc-ILD and SSc-nonILD patients. IL-8, TGF-β and IGFBP-2 are correlated with lung function in SSc patients which emphasize clinical relevance. IS analysis represents a new approach to understand lung inflammatory process in SSc patients. A longitudinal study is needed to evaluate their pathophysiological relevance.

Pulmonary hypertension in connective tissue diseases, new evidence and challenges

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a lethal complication of different connective tissue diseases such as systemic sclerosis, mixed connective tissue disease and systemic lupus erythematosus. Although the treatment possibilities for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension have increased in the last two decades and survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension has improved, the latter is not the case for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with connective tissue disease. In this narrative review, we review recent literature and describe the improvement of early diagnostic possibilities, screening modalities and treatment options. We also point out the pitfalls in diagnosis in this patient category and describe the unmet needs and what the focus of future research should be.

Pharmacological Interventions for Pulmonary Involvement in Rheumatic Diseases

Among the diverse forms of lung involvement, interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are two important conditions in patients with rheumatic diseases that are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The management of ILD and PAH is challenging because the current treatment often provides only limited patient survival benefits. Such challenges derive from their common pathogenic mechanisms, where not only the inflammatory processes of immune cells but also the fibrotic and proliferative processes of nonimmune cells play critical roles in disease progression, making immunosuppressive therapy less effective. Recently, updated treatment strategies adopting targeted agents have been introduced with promising results in clinical trials for ILD ad PAH. This review discusses the epidemiologic features of ILD and PAH among patients with rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, and systemic sclerosis) and the state-of-the-art treatment options, focusing on targeted agents including biologics, antifibrotic agents, and vasodilatory drugs.

Management of systemic sclerosis: the first five years

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review provides a risk-stratified and evidence-based management for subsets of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients in the first five years from disease onset.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cardiopulmonary disease remains the primary cause of mortality in SSc patients. Morbidity and mortality in SSc-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension have improved with combination treatment, in either an upfront or sequential treatment pattern. Traditional therapies for interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) have targeted those with clinically significant and progressive ILD with immunosuppression. New data suggest a possible paradigm shift, introducing immunosuppressive therapy to patients before they develop clinically significant or progressive ILD. The year 2019 saw the approval of the first FDA-approved therapy for SSc-associated interstitial lung disease, using an antifibrotic agent previously approved for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. To date, only autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant has demonstrated a mortality benefit for SSc-ILD, albeit in a narrow spectrum of SSc-ILD patients.

SUMMARY

SSc is a highly heterogeneous autoimmune disease typified by varying clinical trajectories. Its management may be stratified within the first five years by subclassifying patients based on factors that have important prognostic significance: skin distribution and autoantibody status.

Systemic Sclerosis and Pulmonary Disease

Systemic sclerosis is a complex, often progressive, multisystem autoimmune disease. It is commonly categorized into limited cutaneous or diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis. There is near universal involvement of skin fibrosis and gastrointestinal dysfunction, but lung disease is not only common but also a most serious complication. Severe lung disease is the top cause of mortality, displacing scleroderma renal crisis as the leading cause of death. Whether there is limited cutaneous or diffuse cutaneous manifestations can be predictive of what type of lung disease that can present in the patient. Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis patients tend to have pulmonary hypertension whereas diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis patients tend to have interstitial lung disease. There are more rare phenotypes associated with antibodies Th/To and U3RNP that can have both pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease concomitantly. There are inherent challenges in the management for both pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease but with the focus on early diagnosis for each of these lung complications, treatment may have a higher chance of efficacy.

Associated factors of early-onset pulmonary hypertension and clinical difference between early- and late-onset pulmonary hypertension in Thai systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVES

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a major cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Detection of early-onset PH and its associated factors would be helpful for improving patient care. Our aims were to determine the factors associated with early-onset PH and to define the differences between early- and late-onset PH among SSc patients.

METHODS

A cohort study was conducted of 409 adult SSc patients who had followed-up between January 2014 and December 2016. Early-PH is defined when the onset of PH is diagnosed within 5 years of the disease. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the factors associated with early-PH.

RESULTS

In 3409 person-years, we diagnosed 50 cases with PH confirmation by right heart catheterization, of whom 26 were early-PH (incidence 0.7 per 100 person-years; 95%CI:0.5-1.1). Among SSc with early-PH, 69.2% had the diffuse cutaneous SSc subset and the most common PH classification was PH due to interstitial lung disease (18 cases;69.2%). According to a logistic regression analysis, early-PH was associated with a WHO functional class (WHO-FC) II and higher, cardiomegaly according to chest radiography, and tricuspid regurgitation jet maximum velocity (TRVmax)>2.8 m/s with the respective OR of 20.12 (95%CI:1.59-255.35), 7.42 (95%CI:1.35-40.88), and 8.20 (95%CI:1.17-57.64). To contrast, early-PH had a negative association with gastrointestinal involvement (OR 0.08; 95%CI:0.01-0.56).

CONCLUSIONS

Early-PH is prevalent among SSc patients and the most common cause is interstitial lung disease. A poor WHO-FC, cardiomegaly, and a high TRVmax are associated with early-PH. Gastrointestinal involvement is a protective factor for early-PH in SSc.

Screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis: A systematic literature review

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) carries a high morbidity and mortality burden in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Therefore, PAH screening and early detection are pivotal. A systematic literature review (SLR) to search for all screening tools and modalities for SSc-PAH was performed in reference to right heart catheterization as diagnostic gold standard. Papers from 2 previously published SLRs and derived from a systematic search on Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of Science for papers published from 03/10/2017 to 31/12/2018 were manually included. A total of 199 papers were reviewed and 32 were extracted, with a low bias risk according to QUADAS2. Echocardiography, pulmonary function tests, clinical features and serum biomarkers were the most frequently tools used for screening, with different parameters combined in a variable fashion, as single item or as part of composite algorithms. Among the composite algorithms, the DETECT score, ESC/ERS 2009 or 2015 guidelines, ASIG and ITINER-air algorithms were the most commonly used in a wide range of patients. In different cohorts, DETECT and ASIG showed higher sensitivity and negative predictive value than ESC/ERS 2009. In conclusion, the literature shows echocardiography as the leading screening tool for SSc-PAH. In particular, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV), both as single items or part of composite algorithms, including also serum biomarkers, clinical and functional items, are the most frequent parameters evaluated.

Current and Future Outlook on Disease Modification and Defining Low Disease Activity in Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease with heterogeneous clinical manifestations and a variable course in which the severity of the pathology dictates the disease prognosis and course. Among autoimmune rheumatic diseases, SSc has the highest mortality rate among all rheumatic diseases, though there are exciting new therapeutic targets that appear to halt the progression of SSc manifestations such as skin or lung fibrosis. In selected patients, high-intensity regimens with autologous stem cell transplantation can favorably modify the course. In what was once thought to be an untreatable disease, targeted therapies have now changed the outlook of SSc to a treatable disorder. Herein, we discuss the targeted therapies modifying the outlook on selected organ involvement and creating opportunities for future treatment. We also present a framework for defining low disease activity in SSc.

Prediction of organ involvement and survival in systemic sclerosis patients in the first 5 years from diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Organ involvement often occurs in early systemic sclerosis and has been related to premature death. Identifying patients at diagnosis at risk of developing early organ involvement would be useful to optimize screening and management strategies.

OBJECTIVE

To develop prediction models for the 5-year development of interstitial lung disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension and death.

METHODS

A European multicentre inception cohort was created. For modelling, predefined clinical variables with known predictive value at diagnosis were used. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were done to select baseline predictors and build the prediction models. The models were tested using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve comparing observed and expected frequencies.

RESULTS

Of 735 patients, 23% developed interstitial lung disease, 8% developed pulmonary arterial hypertension 12% died. The interstitial lung disease model included diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (OR = 1.8), systemic sclerosis disease duration < 3 years (OR = 1.4), puffy fingers (OR = 1.6), and anti-topoisomerase-I-antibodies (OR = 1.8). The pulmonary arterial hypertension model included age > 65 years (OR = 3.2), forced vital capacity < 70% (OR = 2.5) and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide < 55% (OR = 1.9). Death was predicted best by age > 65 years (OR = 4.1), male gender (OR = 1.9), no anti-centromere antibodies (OR = 0.5), proteinuria (OR = 1.9), forced vital capacity < 70% (OR = 1.8) and pulmonary arterial hypertension at diagnosis (OR = 10.1). The area under the receiver operating characteristic was 0.66 (95% CI 0.64-0.67), 0.66 (95% CI 0.64-0.68) and 0.70 (95% CI 0.69-0.72), respectively.

CONCLUSION

We have shown that it is possible to predict interstitial lung disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension and death using established variables already available at the moment of systemic sclerosis diagnosis. Discriminatory performance of the models was suboptimal. Further research including new variables is necessary to improve performance.

Prevalence, Treatment, and Outcomes of Coexistent Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease in Systemic Sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence, characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of PH in a cohort of patients with SSc-associated ILD.

METHODS

Patients with SSc-associated ILD on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were included in a prospective observational cohort. Patients were screened for PH based on a standardized screening algorithm and underwent right-sided heart catheterization (RHC) if indicated. PH classification was based on hemodynamic findings and the extent of ILD on HRCT. Summary statistics and survival using the Kaplan-Meier method were calculated.

RESULTS

Of the 93 patients with SSc-associated ILD included in the study, 76% were women and 65.6% had diffuse cutaneous SSc. The mean age was 54.9 years, and the mean SSc disease duration was 8 years. Twenty-nine patients (31.2%) had RHC-proven PH; of those 29 patients, 24.1% had PAH, 55.2% had World Health Organization (WHO) Group III PH, 34.5% had WHO Group III PH with pulmonary vascular resistance >3.0 Wood units, 48.3% had a PH diagnosis within 7 years of SSc onset, 82.8% received therapy for ILD, and 82.8% received therapy for PAH. The survival rate 3 years after SSc-associated ILD diagnosis for all patients was 97%. The survival rate 3 years after PH diagnosis for those with SSc-associated ILD and PH was 91%.

CONCLUSION

In a large cohort of patients with SSc-associated ILD, a significant proportion of patients had coexisting PH, which often occurs early after SSc diagnosis. Most patients were treated with ILD and PAH therapies, and survival was good. Patients with SSc-associated ILD should be evaluated for coexisting PH.

Longterm Efficacy and Safety of Monotherapy versus Combination Therapy in Systemic Sclerosis–associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Retrospective RESCLE Registry Study

Objective.

Monotherapy is an option as first-line therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, combination therapy is a beneficial alternative. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of monotherapy versus combination therapy in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)–associated PAH.

Methods.

All patients with SSc-associated PAH from the Spanish Scleroderma Registry (RESCLE) were reviewed. Patients were split into 3 groups: monotherapy versus sequential combination versus upfront combination therapy. The primary endpoint was death from any cause at 1, 3, and 5 years from PAH diagnosis.

Results.

Seventy-six patients (4.2%) out of 1817 had SSc-related PAH. Thirty-four patients (45%) were receiving monotherapy [endothelin receptor antagonist (n = 22; 29%) or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (n = 12; 16%)], 25 (33%) sequential combination, and 17 (22%) upfront combination therapy. A lower forced vital capacity/DLCO in the sequential combination group was reported (2.9 ± 1.1 vs 1.8 ± 0.4 vs 2.3 ± 0.8; p = 0.085) and also a higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure in combination groups (37.2 ± 8.7 mmHg vs 40.8 ± 8.8 vs 46 ± 15.9; p = 0.026) at baseline. Treatment regimen (p = 0.017) and functional class (p = 0.007) were found to be independent predictors of mortality. Sequential combination therapy was found to be an independent protective factor (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.03–0.51; p = 0.004), while upfront combination therapy showed a trend (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.23–1.97; p = 0.476). Survival from PAH diagnosis among monotherapy, sequential, and upfront combination groups was 78% versus 95.8% versus 94.1% at 1 year, 40.7% versus 81.5% versus 51.8% at 3 years, and 31.6% versus 56.5% versus 34.5% at 5 years (p = 0.007), respectively. Side effects were not significantly different among groups.

Conclusion.

Combination sequential therapy improved survival in our cohort.

Isolated DLco/VA reduction in systemic sclerosis patients: a new patient subset?

INTRODUCTION

Diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) reduction is the first detectable pulmonary functional test (PFT) change in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related pulmonary complications. reduction in patients without cardiopulmonary alterations has also been observed; a good characterisation of these patients is lacking. The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics of SSc patients with isolated DLco reduction and compare these patients to SSc patients with DLco reduction with a known cause.

METHODS

SSc patients with DLco < 80% predicted were included and classified into cases (isolated DLco reduction) and controls (DLco reduction in the presence of known pulmonary pathology). SSc clinico-serological data, PFT and echocardiography features were collected and analysed.

RESULTS

From a total SSc cohort of 115 patients, 75 patients were included: 20 cases (26.7%) and 55 controls (73.3%). Cases were predominantly limited skin subset (90% vs 60%, p < 0.001), were anti-centromere antibody (ACA)-positive (95% vs 40%, p < 0.001) and had an infrequent oesophageal involvement (45% vs 74%; p = 0.016). The mean DLco reduction of cases was mild (65.60% ± 10.56). Only 1 out of 20 patients had normal DLco/VA values, and tricuspid regurgitation was more frequent (85% vs 53.8%, p = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

There is a subgroup of SSc patients with mild isolated DLco and DLco/VA reduction, predominantly limited SSc with ACA seropositivity, which could identify a particular SSc subset. We hypothesise that isolated DLco/VA reduction could indicate a pulmonary vascular involvement. Nevertheless, a close follow-up is mandatory, as a pre-PAH situation cannot be excluded.

Prevalence of auto-antibodies associated to pulmonary arterial hypertension in scleroderma - A review

The prevalence of auto-antibodies associated to pulmonary arterial hypertension in scleroderma patients was reviewed, based on reports cited in two major scientific databases. Data were collected on the following types of antibodies: antinuclear, anti-double-stranded DNA, anticentromere, anti-CENP-A, anti-CENP-B, anti-bicaudal D2, anti-nucleolar, anti-Scl-70 (anti-topoisomerase I), anti-topoisomerase II α, anti-RNP, anti-U1RNP, anti-U3RNP, anti-RNA polymerase III, anti-Th/To, anti-histone, antiphospholipid, anti-PmScl, anti-Sm, anti SSA (anti-Ro),anti SSB (La), anti-Ro52 (TRIM 21), anti-Ku, anti-B23, anti-RuvBL1, anti-RuvBL2, anti-fibrin bound tissue plasminogen activator, anti-endothelial cell, anti-phosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex, anti-endothelin-1 type A receptor, anti-angiotensin II type 1 receptor, anti‑carbonic anhydrase II, anti-fibroblast, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, anti-4-sulfated N-Acetyl-lactosamine, class I and II anti-human leukocyte antigen. Auto-antibodies were shown by different authors to be associated to this condition, with different prevalence values for each type of auto-antibody. Antinuclear antibodies, anti-centromere antibodies, antiphospholipid antibodies, anti-U3 RNP antibodies and anti-Th/To antibodies would appear to show a particularly important prevalence in scleroderma patients with pulmonary hypertension, appearing in about 8/10 (antinuclear), 1/ 2 (anti-centromere, anti-phospholipid), and 1/4 (anti-U3RNP, anti-Th/To) of patients. The available evidence points in the direction of a strong association between auto-immune mechanisms and pulmonary hypertension in the setting of scleroderma.

Diagnostic criteria, severity classification and guidelines of systemic sclerosis

Several effective drugs have been identified for the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, in advanced cases, not only their effectiveness is reduced but they may be also harmful due to their side-effects. Therefore, early diagnosis and early treatment is most important for the treatment of SSc. We established diagnostic criteria for SSc in 2003 and early diagnostic criteria for SSc in 2011, for the purpose of developing evaluation of each organ in SSc. Moreover, in November 2013, the American College of Rheumatology and the European Rheumatology Association jointly developed new diagnostic criteria for increasing their sensitivity and specificity, so we revised our diagnostic criteria and severity classification of SSc. Furthermore, we have revised the clinical guideline based on the newest evidence. In particular, the clinical guideline was established by clinical questions based on evidence-based medicine according to the New Minds Clinical Practice Guideline Creation Manual (version 1.0). We aimed to make the guideline easy to use and reliable based on the newest evidence, and to present guidance as specific as possible for various clinical problems in treatment of SSc.

Lung Involvements in Rheumatic Diseases: Update on the Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Clinical Features, and Treatment

Lung illness encountered in patients with rheumatic diseases bears clinical significance in terms of increased morbidity and mortality as well as potential challenges placed on patient care. Although our understanding of natural history of this important illness is still limited, epidemiologic knowledge has been accumulated during the past decade to provide useful information on the risk factors and prognosis of lung involvements in rheumatic diseases. Moreover, the pathogenesis particularly in the context of genetics has been greatly updated for both the underlying rheumatic disease and associated lung involvement. This review will focus on the current update on the epidemiologic and genetics features and treatment options of the lung involvements associated with four major rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, myositis, and systemic lupus erythematosus), with more attention to a specific form of involvement or interstitial lung disease.

An Update on Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: a Review of the Current Literature

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review will summarize the most current literature on the clinical impact, epidemiology, risk factors, screening recommendations, predictors of outcomes, and treatment options in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

RECENT FINDINGS

PAH continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in SSc. Many risk factors and predictors of outcomes have been identified in patients with SSc including clinical, hemodynamic, and laboratory parameters. Screening for PAH in SSc patients is important and screening algorithms have been developed. Despite many available treatment options for PAH, prognosis remains poor. Awareness of risk factors, early detection, and up-front combination treatment are important considerations in SSc-PAH and may lead to improved outcomes. Further research to develop better biomarkers and therapies is needed to continue to improve survival and outcomes in patients with SSc-PAH.

Screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension in an unselected prospective systemic sclerosis cohort

Screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) improves outcomes. The DETECT screening algorithm is recommended in a high-risk SSc subgroup. This study aims to compare prospectively the positive predictive value of screening using the DETECT algorithm and the 2009 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) guidelines, and to compare their cost-effectiveness in an unselected, day-to-day SSc population. Post hoc, screening according to the 2015 ESC/ERS guidelines using echocardiographic parameters alone ("2015 echo screening") or combined with the DETECT algorithm ("2015 combined screening") in high-risk subjects was analysed.195 consecutive SSc patients included in the Ghent University Hospital SSc cohort were screened using different algorithms.The referral rate for right heart catheterisation was 32% (63 out of 195 patients) (46/4/13/34/40 patients using the DETECT algorithm/2009 guidelines/both/2015 echo screening/2015 combined screening). Right heart catheterisation was performed in 53 patients (84%) (36 (78%)/four (100%)/13 (100%)/28 (82%)/32 (80%) patients recommended by the DETECT algorithm/2009 guidelines/both/2015 echo screening/2015 combined screening). PAH was diagnosed in three patients (incidence 1.5%·year^-1, 95% CI 0.5-4.4), in whom all algorithms recommended a right heart catheterisation. The positive predictive value was 6% (95% CI 2-17%; three out of 49 patients) for the DETECT algorithm, 18% (95% CI 6-41%; three out of 17 patients) for the 2009 guidelines, 23% (95% CI 8-50%; three out of 13 patients) for both, 11% (95% CI 4-27%; three out of 28 patients) for the 2015 echo screening and 9% (95% CI 3-24%; three out of 32 patients) for the 2015 combined screening. The cost was EUR224/80/90/112 per patient using the DETECT algorithm/2009 guidelines/2015 echo screening/2015 combined screening.Echocardiography may remain a candidate first step for PAH screening in SSc.

Pulmonary hypertension in connective tissue diseases: an update

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a relatively commoner complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with estimated prevalence ranging between 8% and 12% as compared to much lower figures in other connective tissue diseases (CTD). It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in CTDs. PH is classified into five major groups. CTD-associated PH belongs to group 1 PH, also known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Around 30% of scleroderma-related deaths are due to PAH. Underlying pathogenesis is related to pulmonary vasculopathy involving small vessels. The Evidence-based Detection of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic sclerosis (DETECT) algorithm outperforms the current European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines as a screening tool in SSc-PAH; it can, therefore, suggest when to refer a patient for right heart catheterization. CTD-PAH patients constitute at least 20% of patients included in all major trials of PH-specific therapy and the results are comparable to those of idiopathic PAH. The role of anticoagulation in CTD-PAH is associated with a high risk-benefit ratio with the caveat of its potential role in those with severe disease. There appears to be no role of immunosuppression in scleroderma-PAH; however, immunosuppressive agents, namely the combination of glucocorticoids and pulse cyclophosphamide / possibly mycophenolate, may result in clinical improvement in a subset of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and mixed connective tissue disease-related PAH.

Current Approaches to the Treatment of Systemic-Sclerosis-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (SSc-PAH)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe condition causing significant morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Despite the use of specific treatments, SSc-PAH survival remains poorer than in idiopathic PAH (IPAH). Recent therapeutic advances in PAH show a lower magnitude of response in SSc-PAH and a higher risk of adverse events, as compared to IPAH. The multifaceted underlying mechanisms and the multisystem nature of SSc probably explain part of the worse outcomes in SSc-PAH compared to IPAH. This review describes the current management of SSc-PAH with an emphasis on the impact of the different organ involvements in the prognosis and treatment response. An earlier detection of PAH and a better characterization of the clinical phenotypes of SSc-PAH are warranted in clinical practice and future trials. Determinants of prognosis, surrogate markers of clinical improvement or worsening, and relevance of the common endpoints used in clinical trials should be evaluated in this specific population. A multidisciplinary approach in expert referral centers is mandatory for SSc-PAH management.

Incidences and Risk Factors of Organ Manifestations in the Early Course of Systemic Sclerosis: A Longitudinal EUSTAR Study

Objective

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare and clinically heterogeneous autoimmune disorder characterised by fibrosis and microvascular obliteration of the skin and internal organs. Organ involvement mostly manifests after a variable period of the onset of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). We aimed to map the incidence and predictors of pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal (GI) and renal involvement in the early course of SSc.

Methods

In the EUSTAR cohort, patients with early SSc were identified as those who had a visit within the first year after RP onset. Incident SSc organ manifestations and their risk factors were assessed using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression analysis.

Results

Of the 695 SSc patients who had a baseline visit within 1 year after RP onset, the incident non-RP manifestations (in order of frequency) were: skin sclerosis (75%) GI symptoms (71%), impaired diffusing capacity for monoxide<80% predicted (65%), DU (34%), cardiac involvement (32%), FVC<80% predicted (31%), increased PAPsys>40mmHg (14%), and renal crisis (3%). In the heart, incidence rates were highest for diastolic dysfunction, followed by conduction blocks and pericardial effusion. While the main baseline risk factor for a short timespan to develop FVC impairment was diffuse skin involvement, for PAPsys>40mmHg it was higher patient age. The main risk factors for incident cardiac manifestations were anti-topoisomerase autoantibody positivity and older age. Male sex, anti-RNA-polymerase-III positivity, and older age were risk factors associated with incident renal crisis.

Conclusion

In SSc patients presenting early after RP onset, approximately half of all incident organ manifestations occur within 2 years and have a simultaneous rather than a sequential onset. These findings have implications for the design of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies aimed to ‘widen' the still very narrow ‘window of opportunity'. They may also enable physicians to counsel and manage patients presenting early in the course of SSc more accurately.

Risk factors for development of pulmonary arterial hypertension in Australian systemic sclerosis patients: results from a large multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is the leading cause of mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We sought to determine the incidence, prevalence and risk factors for PAH development in a large Australian SSc cohort.

METHODS

PAH was diagnosed on right heart catheterisation (mPAP >25 and PAWP <15 mmHg at rest). Patients with PH secondary to interstitial lung disease (ILD; defined as abnormal HRCT scan and FVC < 60 %) were excluded. Summary statistics, chi-square tests, univariate and multivariable logistic regression along with post-estimation diagnostics were used to determine the associations of different combinations of risk factors with PAH.

RESULTS

Among 1579 SSc patients, 8.4 % (132 patients) were diagnosed with PAH over a mean (±SD) follow-up of 3.2 (±2.5) years. The incidence of PAH in this cohort was 0.7 % per annum. Of these, 68.9 % had limited disease subtype (lcSSc). In multivariable regression analysis, the presence of anti-centromere antibody (ACA) (OR 1.6, 95 % CI 1.1-2.5, p = 0.03), oesphageal stricture (OR 2.0, 95 % CI 1.2-3.3, p = 0.006), calcinosis (OR 1.9, 95 % CI 1.2-2.9, p = 0.003), sicca symptoms (OR 1.6, 95 % CI 1.1-2.5, p = 0.03), mild ILD (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.5-3.7, p < 0.001) and digital ulcers (OR 1.6, 95 % CI 1.0-2.4, p = 0.03) were predictive of PAH. This model had an area under the curve of 0.7 and concordance of 91.8 %. When analysed by disease subtype, the presence of calcinosis (OR 2.2, 95 % CI 1.4-3.7, p = 0.01), sicca symptoms (OR 2.6, 95 % CI 1.5-4.6, p = 0.001), mild ILD (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.4-3.8, p = 0.001) and digital ulcers (OR 1.9, 95 % CI 1.2-3.7, p = 0.01) were predictive of PAH in lcSSc; and oesophageal stricture (OR 4.4, 95 % CI 1.9-10.5, p = 0.001), mild ILD (OR 2.8, 95 % CI 1.2-6.8, p = 0.02) and ACA (OR 5.2, 95 % CI 1.8-14.8, p = 0.002) were predictive of PAH in dcSSc.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence and prevalence of PAH in this cohort are 0.7 % per annum and 8.4 %, respectively. The clinical-serologic risk factors for PAH differ based on disease subtype. In both subtypes, mild ILD is associated with PAH, suggesting the possibility of common pathogenic mechanisms underlying both of these disease manifestations. This model identifies a subset of patients at an appreciably higher risk of developing PAH, who should be screened and would in future, benefit from preventative therapies.

Undiagnosed connective tissue diseases: High prevalence in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients

Among different subgroups of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), those associated with connective tissue diseases (CTDs) have distinct hemodynamic and prognostic features; a correct etiologic diagnosis is thus mandatory.To estimate frequency and prognosis of previously undiagnosed CTDs in a suspect idiopathic (i) PAH cohort.Consecutive patients with PAH confirmed by right heart catheterization referred at the Cardiology Division of our Hospital without a previous rheumatological assessment or the occurrence of other conditions explaining PAH were checked for CTD by a clinical, laboratory, and instrumental evaluation. Survival in each group has also been analyzed.In our study 17 of 49 patients were classified as CTD-PAH, corresponding to a prevalence (95% CI) of 34.7% (21.7-49.6%). ANA positivity had 94% (71.3-99.9%) sensitivity and 78.1% (60-90.7%) specificity for a diagnosis of CTD-PAH; Raynaud phenomenon (RP) showed 83.3% (51.6-97.9%) sensitivity and 100% (90.5-100%) specificity for the diagnosis of Systemic Sclerosis (SSc)-PAH. At diagnosis, SSc patients were older and had a lower creatinine clearance compared with iPAH and other CTD-PAH. After a median follow-up of 44 (2-132) months, 18 of 49 (36.7%) patients died: 31.2% in the iPAH group, 20% in the CTD-, and 58.3% in the SSc-PAH group. Mortality was significantly higher in SSc-PAH (HR 3.32, 1.11-9.95, P <0.05) versus iPAH.We show a high prevalence of undiagnosed CTDs in patients with iPAH without a previous rheumatological assessment. All patients with RP were diagnosed with SSc. Our data stress the importance of a rheumatological assessment in PAH, especially because of the unfavorable prognostic impact of an associated SSc.

[Epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary peculiarities of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis]

Pulmonary involvement during systemic sclerosis (SS) is dominated by interstitial lung disease and arterial pulmonary hypertension. It is about a retrospective study analyzing 65 cases of SS over a period of 13 years. We compared cases with and without interstitial lung disease. The diagnosis of SS was retained according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/EULAR 2013 criteria. The diagnosis of interstitial lung disease was retained in TDM and EFR. Pulmonary hypertension is defined by a pulmonary arterial pression higher than 25 mmHg. The mean delay of diagnosis of interstitial lung disease and the diagnosis was of 48 months (extremes 0-78 months). The comparison between both groups according to average age of the patients, prevalence of pulmonary hypertension, frequency of Raynaud phenomenon and trophic disorders did not find any significant difference. Lung involvement was associated with an esophageal involvement in 71% of the cases (P=0.059). Antibodies anti-Scl 70 were noted more frequently in patient's with interstitial lung disease (79% of the cases, P=0.001). Patients were treated with colchicine and vitamin E. A corticotherapy had been indicated at a single patient. The evolution of SS was marked by the stabilisation of the restrictive syndrome in 71.8% of the cases and a worsening in 25% of the cases. Early and appropriate diagnosis of SS and screening of lung involvement are essential for a early care.

The heart and pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by vasculopathy and progressive fibrosis of the skin and visceral organs (gastrointestinal tract, heart, kidneys and lungs). Although the prevalence is low, SSc is a disease with high morbidity and mortality. Since pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with SSc (SSc-PAH) and clinically evident cardiac involvement is associated with increased mortality, the cardiac complications and PAH in SSc are reviewed. Both diffuse cutaneous (DcSSc) and limited cutaneous (LcSSc) subgroups are at risk for cardiac involvement and SSc-PAH. Cardiac involvement can be divided in pericardial involvement, myocardial involvement and rhythm disturbances and mostly occurs asymptomatically. However, when symptomatic, it is associated with a poor prognosis. Screening for asymptomatic cardiac involvement should be considered in SSc in order to initiate treatment in an early stage. However, there are no randomized controlled trials on treatment options for cardiac involvement in SSc. SSc-PAH is a devastating complication of SSc, which can develop early in DcSSc and LcSSc. Screening for PAH should be performed since screening leads to earlier diagnosis and earlier treatment is associated with a better prognosis. Today, screening is performed by clinical judgement and echocardiography. Recently the DETECT algorithm, a 2-step screening algorithm is proposed in a SSc-subgroup at increased risk for PAH, but further validation is needed. Despite current treatment options with prostacyclins, endothelin-1 receptor antagonists and phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors, mortality remains high. Several promising new treatment options for PAH are evaluated in phase II and III clinical trials.

Monitoring and Diagnostic Approaches for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one of the leading causes of death in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Given the high prevalence and poor survival of SSc-PAH, and that aggressive management of mild disease may be associated with better outcomes, screening is critical. Right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis of PAH, and should be performed in those patients in whom this diagnosis is suspected. Once a diagnosis of PAH is confirmed by RHC, treatment with PAH-specific therapies should be initiated as soon as possible.

The right ventricle in scleroderma (2013 Grover Conference Series)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) results from severe remodeling of the distal lung vessels leading irremediably to death through right ventricular (RV) failure. PAH (Group 1 of the World Health Organization classification of pulmonary hypertension) can be idiopathic (IPAH) or associated with other disorders, such as connective tissue diseases. Prominent among the latter is systemic sclerosis (SSc), a heterogeneous disorder characterized by endothelium dysfunction, dysregulation of fibroblasts resulting in excessive collagen production, and immune abnormalities. For as-yet-unknown reasons, SSc-associated PAH (SSc-PAH) carries a significantly worse prognosis compared with any other form of PAH in Group 1, including IPAH. We have previously shown that patients with SSc-PAH have a median survival of only 3 years, compared with 8 years for IPAH, despite modern PAH therapy. Because death is principally due to RV failure, we speculated that RV adaptation to PAH differed between the two entities due to disparate pulmonary artery loading, perhaps from vessel stiffening, or intrinsic RV myocardial disease that might limit function and adaptation to high afterload. In SSc, RV function may also be impaired by inflammatory processes, excess fibrosis of the myocardium, or altered angiogenesis, which may all contribute to impaired contractile reserve exacerbating cardiopulmonary impedance mismatch. This is now suggested by recent findings from our group that demonstrate that, although pulmonary vascular load may be similar between patients with IPAH and those with SSc-PAH, the latter display reduced myocardial contractility as assessed by pressure-volume loop measurements. This review focuses on fundamental hemodynamic, structural, and functional differences in RV from patients with SSc-PAH compared with IPAH, which may account for survival discrepancies between the two populations. Possible underlying basic mechanisms are discussed.

Value of systolic pulmonary arterial pressure as a prognostic factor of death in the systemic sclerosis EUSTAR population

Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) estimated by echocardiography in the multinational European League Against Rheumatism Scleroderma Trial and Research (EUSTAR) cohort.

Methods. Data for patients with echocardiography documented between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2011 were extracted from the EUSTAR database. Stepwise forward multivariable statistical Cox pulmonary hypertension analysis was used to examine the independent effect on survival of selected variables.

Results. Based on our selection criteria, 1476 patients were included in the analysis; 87% of patients were female, with a mean age of 56.3 years (s.d. 13.5) and 31% had diffuse SSc. The mean duration of follow-up was 2.0 years (s.d. 1.2, median 1.9). Taking index sPAP of <30 mmHg as reference, the hazard ratio (HR) for death was 1.67 (95% CI 0.92, 2.96) if the index sPAP was between 30 and 36 mmHg, 2.37 (95% CI 1.14, 4.93) for sPAP between 36 and 40 mmHg, 3.72 (95% CI 1.61, 8.60) for sPAP between 40 and 50 mmHg and 9.75 (95% CI 4.98, 19.09) if sPAP was >50 mmHg. In a multivariable Cox model, sPAP and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were independently associated with the risk of death [HR 1.833 (95% CI 1.035, 3.247) and HR 0.973 (95% CI 0.955, 0.991), respectively]. sPAP was an independent risk factor for death with a HR of 3.02 (95% CI 1.91, 4.78) for sPAP ≥36 mmHg.

Conclusion. An estimated sPAP >36 mmHg at baseline echocardiography was significantly and independently associated with reduced survival, regardless of the presence of pulmonary hypertension based on right heart catheterization.

Connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension

Although rare in its idiopathic form, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is not uncommon in association with various associated medical conditions, most notably connective tissue disease (CTD). In particular, it develops in approximately 10% of patients with systemic sclerosis and so these patients are increasingly screened to enable early detection. The response of patients with systemic sclerosis to PAH-specific therapy appears to be worse than in other forms of PAH. Survival in systemic sclerosis-associated PAH is inferior to that observed in idiopathic PAH. Potential reasons for this include differences in age, the nature of the underlying pulmonary vasculopathy and the ability of the right ventricle to cope with increased afterload between patients with systemic sclerosis-associated PAH and idiopathic PAH, while coexisting cardiac and pulmonary disease is common in systemic sclerosis-associated PAH. Other forms of connective tissue-associated PAH have been less well studied, however PAH associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has a better prognosis than systemic sclerosis-associated PAH and likely responds to immunosuppression.

The inclusion of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in a sensitive screening strategy for systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary arterial hypertension: a cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a major cause of mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Screening guidelines for PAH recommend multiple investigations, including annual echocardiography, which together have low specificity and may not be cost-effective. We sought to evaluate the predictive accuracy of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in combination with pulmonary function tests (PFT) (‘proposed’ algorithm) in a screening algorithm for SSc-PAH.

METHODS

We evaluated our proposed algorithm (PFT with NT-proBNP) on 49 consecutive SSc patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension undergoing right heart catherisation (RHC). The predictive accuracy of the proposed algorithm was compared with existing screening recommendations, and is presented as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV).

RESULTS

Overall, 27 patients were found to have pulmonary hypertension (PH) at RHC, while 22 had no PH. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the proposed algorithm for PAH was 94.1%, 54.5%, 61.5% and 92.3%, respectively; current European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines achieved a sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of 94.1%, 31.8%, 51.6% and 87.5%, respectively. In an alternate case scenario analysis, estimating a PAH prevalence of 10%, the proposed algorithm achieved a sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for PAH of 94.1%, 54.5%, 18.7% and 98.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of NT-proBNP with PFT is a sensitive, yet simple and non-invasive, screening strategy for SSc-PAH. Patients with a positive screening result can be referred for echocardiography, and further confirmatory testing for PAH. In this way, it may be possible to shift the burden of routine screening away from echocardiography. The findings of this study should be confirmed in larger studies.

Epidemiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension

The epidemiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has changed over the last decade. Remarkable advances in understanding the pathobiology and clinical care required in PAH have resulted in improved quality of life and survival. Despite such important progress, the long-term rate of survival is still unacceptable. The epidemiology of PAH could not be easily generalized globally, due to the fact that nearly all of the present data has been gathered from Western, multicenter, prospective registries. There are potentially marked differences in PAH patients from Western and Eastern populations, and from developed and developing countries. Therefore, it is clear that more registry data will be needed to address novel questions emerging with improved knowledge of PAH.

Screening and diagnostic modalities for connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a frequent complication in connective tissue diseases (CTD), especially in systemic sclerosis (SSc), and is associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. We undertook a systematic review for the screening tests for CTD-PAH.

METHODS

A systematic literature search of PAH in CTD was performed in available databases through June 2012. Our evaluation of diagnostic tests was focused on patients with PAH confirmed by right heart catheterization (RHC).

RESULTS

The search resulted in 2805 titles and 838 abstracts. Our final inclusion encompassed 22 articles-six of which were case-control studies and 16 were cohort studies. Twelve studies assessed the tricuspid regurgitation velocity (VTR) or equivalent right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) using transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) as a threshold for RHC in patients suspected as having PAH. The screening threshold for RHC was VTR from >2.73 to >3.16 m/s without symptoms or 2.5-3.0m/s with symptoms and resulted in 20-67% of patients having RHC-proven PAH. Three studies looked at pulmonary function tests and found that a low lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (45-70% of predicted) is associated with a 5.6-7.4% development of PAH, and a decline in DLCO% is associated with an increase in the specificity (for DLCO ≤ 60%, spec = 45%; and for DLCO ≤ 50%, spec = 90%) for PAH. Five studies assessed N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP), where a cutoff >239 pg/ml had a sensitivity of 90-100%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our systematic review revealed that most evidence exists for TTE, pulmonary function tests, and NT-ProBNP for screening and diagnosis of SSc-PAH; however, more robust studies are needed.

Survival and prognostic factors in systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a frequent and life-limiting complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, data on survival rates and their evolution over time, as well as prognostic factors in SSc complicated by PH, are still conflicting. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies to assess pooled survival and prognostic factors for survival in patients with SSc-associated PH.

METHODS

For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched the Medline and EMBase databases (January 1960 to January 2012). All cohort studies in which survival and/or prognostic factors for SSc-associated PH were reported were included in the analysis. We calculated the pooled survival rates and analyzed their evolution over time and identified prognostic factors for survival.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies were included, representing a total of 2,244 patients with SSc-associated PH. The pooled 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 81% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 79-84%), 64% (95% CI 59-69%), and 52% (95% CI 47-58%), respectively. Meta-regression did not reveal a significant change in survival over time, while baseline hemodynamic measures of PH severity were significantly correlated with survival. In patients with SSc complicated by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), age, male sex, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), pericardial effusion, and the parameters classically associated with the severity of idiopathic PAH, including the 6-minute walk distance, mean pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac index, and right atrial pressure, were significant prognostic factors. DLCO and pericardial effusion were the only prognostic factors in patients with interstitial lung disease-related PH.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis revealed a poor pooled 3-year survival rate of 52% in patients with SSc-associated PH. Baseline hemodynamic measures of PAH severity, but not the period of time during which patients were included in the studies, correlated significantly with survival in patients with SSc-associated PAH. All of the prognostic factors typically observed in idiopathic PAH, including the 6-minute walk distance and right atrial pressure, were also prognostic factors in SSc-associated PAH.