title: [Clinical characteristics of pulmonary hypertension patients in two reference centers in the city of Sao Paulo].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe the clinical profile of PH patients from two pulmonary hypertension centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and twenty three PH patients were included in the study; 62% of these presented functional class III or IV (NYHA). Mean right ventricle systolic pressure (RVSP) was 83.48+/-24.61 mmHg. There was no correlation between functional class and RVSP. About 50% of the patients were diagnosed as IPAH; 30% as pulmonary hypertension associated to schistosomiasis; 10% as PH associated to connective tissue diseases. Mean time of dyspnea until diagnosis was variable with no correlation with functional class (p>0.05). No difference was found in the clinical presentation in spite of the diverse etiologies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based upon our findings, we stressed the need for an active investigation of PH patients prior to administration of any therapeutic alternative. We emphasized that a better understanding of PH related to schistosomiasis is needed due to the high prevalence of this condition among PH patients as shown in the Brazilian population.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Hipertensão Pulmonar, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, MG.
authors.forename: Monica Silveira
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lapa
authors.forename: Eloara Vieira Machado
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jardim
authors.forename: Barbara do Carmo dos Santos
authors.initials: Bdo C
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Jaquelina Sonoe Ota
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Arakaki
authors.forename: Rogerio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000503:physiopathology