Pulmonary Hemodynamics in Advanced COPD Candidates for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery or Lung Transplantation

Study objectives To assess the pulmonary hemodynamic characteristics in COPD candidates for lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) or lung transplantation (LT). Design Retrospective study. Setting One center in France. Patients Two hundred fifteen patients with severe COPD who underwent right-heart catheterization before LVRS or LT. Results Mean age was 54.6 years. Pulmonary function test results were as follows: FEV1, 24.3% predicted; total lung capacity, 128.3% predicted; residual volume, 259.7% predicted. Mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAPm) was 26.9 mm Hg. Pulmonary hypertension (PAPm > 25 mm Hg) was present in 50.2% and was moderate (PAPm, 35 to 45 mm Hg) or severe (PAPm > 45 mm Hg) in 9.8% and in 3.7% of patients, respectively. Cardiac index was low normal. PAPm was related to Pao2 and alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient in multivariate analysis. Cluster analysis identified a subgroup of atypical patients (n = 16, 7.4%) characterized by moderate impairment of the pulmonary mechanics (mean FEV1, 48.5%) contrasting with high level of pulmonary artery pressure (PAPm, 39.8 mm Hg), and severe hypoxemia (mean Pao2, 46.2 mm Hg). Conclusion While pulmonary hypertension is observed in half of the COPD patients with advanced disease, moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension is not a rare event in these patients. We individualized a subgroup of patients presenting with a predominant vascular disease that could potentially benefit from vasodilators. To assess the pulmonary hemodynamic characteristics in COPD candidates for lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) or lung transplantation (LT). Retrospective study. One center in France. Two hundred fifteen patients with severe COPD who underwent right-heart catheterization before LVRS or LT. Mean age was 54.6 years. Pulmonary function test results were as follows: FEV1, 24.3% predicted; total lung capacity, 128.3% predicted; residual volume, 259.7% predicted. Mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAPm) was 26.9 mm Hg. Pulmonary hypertension (PAPm > 25 mm Hg) was present in 50.2% and was moderate (PAPm, 35 to 45 mm Hg) or severe (PAPm > 45 mm Hg) in 9.8% and in 3.7% of patients, respectively. Cardiac index was low normal. PAPm was related to Pao2 and alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient in multivariate analysis. Cluster analysis identified a subgroup of atypical patients (n = 16, 7.4%) characterized by moderate impairment of the pulmonary mechanics (mean FEV1, 48.5%) contrasting with high level of pulmonary artery pressure (PAPm, 39.8 mm Hg), and severe hypoxemia (mean Pao2, 46.2 mm Hg). While pulmonary hypertension is observed in half of the COPD patients with advanced disease, moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension is not a rare event in these patients. We individualized a subgroup of patients presenting with a predominant vascular disease that could potentially benefit from vasodilators.