The Preliminary Diagnostic and Therapeutic Outcomes of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Registry Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center

We herein present the preliminary results of our center’s chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) registry of the tertiary outcomes of patients diagnosed with CTEPH and treated with pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), or medical treatment.

The present retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on patients who received treatment for CTEPH in Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center over the past four years, from 2016 to 2020. The data were obtained from routine hospital admission and outpatient visit records. The patients were divided into PEA, BPA, and medical treatment groups, and the outcomes and complications of the procedures were reported.

Twenty-eight patients, at a median age of 40 (33–59) years were included in our study and were followed for approximately 20.0 (16.2–23.7) months. PEA was performed on 13 (46%) patients, BPA on 10 (35%), and medical therapy only on 5 (17%). Death occurred in 4 (30%) patients after surgery, and 10 (77%) had a surgical complication. There were no deaths or recorded complications in the other two groups, but the rates of postprocedural pulmonary hypertension (30% vs. 91%; P = 0.006) and rehospitalization (7% vs. 73%; P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the operated patients. The 1‑year survival rate among the entire study population was 85.7%.

The possibility of CTEPH incidence, especially in high‑risk patients with dyspnea, should always be borne in mind given its large morbidity and mortality rate and its chances of curability with early diagnosis and proper treatment.