title: Mismatch of right- and left-sided filling pressures in chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In patients with advanced heart failure (HF), elevated jugular venous pressure (JVP) is the most reliable sign of elevated left-sided filling pressures. However, discordance between right- and left-sided filling pressures (R-L mismatch) could lead to inadequate or excessive therapy guided by JVP. We determined the prevalence of R-L mismatch in the current era and investigated whether mismatch might be identified from clinical information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Right-sided heart catheterization was performed in 537 consecutive patients hospitalized with advanced HF during complete transplantation evaluation. Patients with high filling pressures were categorized as matched (right atrial pressure (RAP) ≥10 mm Hg and pulmonary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≥22 mm Hg), high-R mismatch (RAP ≥10 but PCWP <22 mm Hg) or high-L mismatch (PCWP ≥22 but RAP <10 mm Hg). Among all of the patients, 195 (36%) were matched low and 194 (36%) were matched high, and 148 (28%) had R-L mismatch. Among patients with high filling pressures, 194 (57%) were matched high and 82 (24%) had high-L and 66 (19%) high-R mismatch. Mismatches were not associated with differences in demographic or clinical data, including pulmonary and hepatic function, or severity of valvular regurgitation and right ventricular function by echo. However, among all patients with RAP ≥10 mm Hg, pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was higher in those patients with matched high left- and right-sided pressures (59 ± 12 mm Hg) versus high-R mismatch (41 ± 13 mm Hg; P < .0001). Similarly among all patients with low RAP, PASP was lower in patients with matched low right- and left-side pressures (33 ± 11 mm Hg) versus high-L mismatch (53 ± 13 mm Hg; P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  R-L mismatch was present in >1 in 4 total patients, and >1 in 3 with elevated filling pressures. Regardless of clinical history, when empiric therapy to optimize volume status to JVP is not effective, additional measurement should be considered to establish the R-L relationship.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Heart Disease Section, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02446, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Drazner
authors.forename: Mahoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Neal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lakdawala
authors.forename: Maryse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palardy
authors.forename: Anju
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nohria
authors.forename: Lynne W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*