title: [Pulmonary hypertension associated with connective tissue diseases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary arterial hypertension is an important cause of complications among patients with connective tissue diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with connective tissue diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, observational and descriptive study. We analyzed 35 patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with connective tissue diseases. All patients were evaluated and diagnosed by at least one medical specialist in rheumatology. Pulmonary arterial hypertension was defined as a pulmonary artery systolic pressure ≥ 40 mmHg by echocardiography. The group was divided as not severe when pressures ranged from 40 to 64 mmHg and severe, when pressures were ≥ 65 mmHg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common connective tissue disease associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension was diffuse scleroderma in 46% of cases. Eighty nine percent of patients were female. Time of evolution of the pulmonary hypertension was 18.8 ± 21.8 months. The distance walked in the six minute walk test was < 400 m both in patients with and without severe pulmonary hypertension. Fifty one percent of patients had pulmonary restriction. No differences in gas exchange parameters were observed between groups. Comparing echo cardio-graphic findings in patients with and without severe hypertension, the former had a higher frequency of right ventricular dilatation (85.7 and 52.3% respectively, p = 0.04), right ventricular hypertrophy (42.8 and 0% respectively, p = 0.02) and right ventricular hypokinesia (71.4 and 9.5% respectively p = < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension associated to connective tissue diseases have more commonly dilated, hypertrophic and hypokinetic right ventricles.
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de Medicina Crítica, Departamento de Terapia Intensiva, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Ciudad de México, México. snamendys@prodigy.net.mx
authors.forename: Silvio Antonio
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Namendys-Silva
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ocotlán González-Herrera
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hernández-Oropeza
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rivero-Sigarroa
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Cherit
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D017380:Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018476:Hypokinesia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry; D013997:Time Factors