Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Left Heart Disease

Previous data from our group showed reduced BMPR2 isoform A in pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) of valvular origin. Focusing on dysregulation of the BMPR2-activin pathway, a key regulator of vascular homeostasis, this project uses a multimodal approach combining molecular biology, advanced cardiac imaging, and histology. Its aim is to determine the role of the BMPR2-activin pathway in the development and regression of PH-LHD. We will conduct a prospective observational study with 1-year follow-up in 150 heart failure patients of different etiologies undergoing hemodynamic assessment. Clinical parameters, biomarkers, molecular profiles, and hemodynamic/echocardiographic variables will be analyzed. A nested substudy in 40 heart transplant candidates will include thoracic CT for vascular morphometric analysis and histological correlation in explanted hearts versus healthy controls. We will also assess reversibility of vascular remodeling one year after transplantation. Results may redefine PH-LHD classification, enable phenotypic precision-medicine models, guide targeted therapies such as activin inhibitors, and refine transplant criteria in combined pulmonary hypertension.

Establish a pulmonary hypertension registry and biorepository to lead towards a further understanding of the disease.

The investigator compared difference between inhaled and intravenous milirinone in patiens with severe pulmonary hypertension undergoing cardiac surgery

Exercise interventions alone or as a component of a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program for patients with heart failure (HFrEF and HFpEF) have already shown to reduce the risk of hospitalisations due to HF and improved exercise capacity and health-related quality of life. Two meta-analyses have confirmed the beneficial effects in cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life. The effects of exercise training on systolic and diastolic function remain inconclusive. Due to the positive results of exercise training in HFpEF, cardiac rehabilitation is recommended (Class I, level A) to be integrated into the overall provision of HF care. However, none of these studies focused on concomitant PH in HFpEF. Exercise training in patients with pulmonary hypertension has already shown to improve exercise capacity, quality of life and peak oxygen consumption, which was confirmed by three meta-analyses and a Cochrane review. Though different diagnostic subgroups have already been enrolled in PH exercise training studies, they mainly included pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Data on combined PH and HFpEF is still lacking. As recently pointed out by Arena et al. there may thus be an exercise training volume/intensity which may be detrimental to the RV in patients with HF and concomitant PH. This study is sought to investigate whether a specialized training program is safe and tolerable and may improve exercise capacity, quality of life, hemodynamics, diastolic dysfunction and biomarkers in patients with PH and HFpEF.