Table 1.
Baseline demographic data and functional parameters.
| Characteristics | Patients (n = 49) |
|---|---|
| Female | 36 (73%) |
| Age | 63 (±13)/(range 26–80) |
| Diagnoses | |
| Precapillary PH | 26 (53%) |
| With PAH medication | 13 (50%) |
| Comorbidities | |
| Arterial hypertension | 36 (73%) |
| Coronary heart disease | 12 (24%) |
| Atrial fibrillation | 11 (22%) |
| Obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2) | 7 (14%) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 10 (20%) |
| Chronic renal failure | 13 (26%) |
| Obstructive ventilation disorder | |
| (FEV1/FVC <70%) | 17 (35%) |
| Restrictive ventilation disorder | |
| (VC or TLC <80% predicted) | 13 (27%) |
| Echocardiography | |
| Diastolic dysfunction | 24 (49%) |
| TAPSE | 21.5 (±5.9)/(range 9–36) |
| Right atrial area (n = 26) | 23.8 (±11.7)/(range 10–69) |
| Pericardial effusion (n = 46) | 6 (13%) |
| Pulmonary function | |
| VC% predicted | 94.2 (±21.1)/(range 38.5–135.6) |
| FVC% predicted | 96.4 (±20.8)/(range 54.8–138.6) |
| FEV1% predicted | 86.2 (±20.8)/(range 38.1–130.0) |
| FEV1/FVC% | 73.0 (±9.5)/(range 41.7–92.4) |
| TLC% predicted | 101.8 (±18.7)/(range 68.8–142.9) |
| RV% predicted | 121.1 (±39.4)/(range 67.2–275.1) |
| RV/TLC% | 46.2 (±9.7)/(range 26.9–73.8) |
| DLCO% predicted | 49.7 (±20.9)/(range 23.3–108.2) |
| KCO% predicted | 59.2 (±22.3)/(range 8.6–117.6) |
| Blood gases at rest | |
| paCO2 in mmHg (n = 44) | 34.0 (±4.7)/(range 22.9–43.5) |
| paO2 in mmHg (n = 44) | 67.3 (±12.8) / (range 42.8–93.3) |
| CPET | |
| Maximum work in Watt (n = 46) | 86.7 (±23.7)/(range 36–164) |
| Maximum work in % predicted (n = 46) | 65.1 (±16.2)/(range 33.3–99.3) |
| Anaerobic threshold (VO2@AT) in mL/min (n = 45) | 687.0 (±199.9)/(range 239–1067) |
| Work in Watt at VO2@AT (n = 46) | 45.0 (±14.2)/(range 20–84) |
| PeakVO2 in mL/min/kg (n = 46) | 1110.9 (±400.1)/(range 118–2242) |
| PeakVO2 % predicted (n = 46) | 67.1 (±22.3)/(range 5.5–116.6) |
| VE/VCO2 @ VO2@AT (n = 45) | 40.6 (±9.1)/(range 26.1–59.6) |
| pET CO2@AT (n = 46) | 27.9 (±6.3)/(range 12.3–40.4) |
| VE/VCO2-slope (n = 46) | 42.2 (±17.2)/(range 18–96) |
| VE/VCO2-slope >34 (n = 46) | 31 (67%) |
| VE/MVV in % (n = 45) | 63.2 (±15.2)/(range 31.6–95.3) |
| VE/MVV >80% (n = 45) | 6 (13%) |
| AaDO2 (maximum) (n = 42) | 47.6 (±20.1)/(range 13.4–88.7) |
| AaDO2 >35 (n = 42) | 30 (71%) |
| pa-ETCO2 (maximum) (n = 41) | 7.5 (±3.9)/(range 0.7–15.9) |
| pa-ETCO2 >6 mmHg (n = 41) | 59 (57%) |
Notes: For nominal variables n (%), for continuous variables mean (±standard deviation) are given.
AaDO2: difference of arterial and end tidal pressure of oxygen; AT: anaerobic threshold; BMI: body mass index; DLCO: diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide; KCO: Krogh factor (DLCO per alveolar volume); CPET: cardiopulmonary exercise testing; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second; FVC: forced vital capacity; PAH: pulmonary arterial hypertension; paCO2: arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide; pa-ETCO2: difference of capillary and end tidal pressure of carbon dioxide; paO2: arterial partial pressure of oxygen; peakVO2: maximum oxygen uptake; PH: pulmonary hypertension; PoPH: pulmonary venous occlusive disease with pulmonary hypertension; RV: residual volume; TAPSE: tricuspidal annular plane systolic excursion; TLC: total lung capacity; VE/MVV: ratio of ventilation to maximum voluntary ventilation; VE/VCO2@AT: ratio of ventilation to carbon dioxide output at anaerobic threshold; VE/VCO2: slope of the relation between ventilation and carbon dioxide output; pETCO2: end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide.