title: Epidemiology of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Korea: results from the Korean registry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is difficult for numerous reasons and is related with a poor prognosis. In Korea, the incidence of CTEPH and its clinical features are unknown. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CTEPH in a Korean cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included South Korean patients diagnosed with CTEPH between September 2008 and October 2011. Baseline characteristics, treatments and outcomes were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 134 patients were included in this study with 76 females (56.7%). Their median age was 58.3 ± 15.9 years and dyspnea (112 patients, 83.5%) was the most common presenting symptom. Sixty-three patients (47%) had a history of acute pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, and six (4.5%) had pulmonary tuberculosis. In total, 28 patients (21%) underwent pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE), and 99 patients had medical therapy. During the study period, 18 patients (13.4%) died. In a multivariate analysis, higher hemoglobin (relative risk [RR], 1.516; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.053 to 2.184; p = 0.025) and lower total cholesterol levels (RR, 0.982; 95% CI, 0.965 to 0.999; p = 0.037) were associated with increased mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was the first national cohort study of Korean patients with CTEPH. Accurate diagnosis, characterization and distributions of CTEPH are imperative for prompt treatment in patients, particularly those undergoing PTE.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital and Lung Research Institute, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Lung Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byoung Whui
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hojoong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Do
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul,Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwa Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital and Lung Research Institute, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Bum
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004691:Endarterectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012042:Registries; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: Characteristics; Epidemiologic studies; Hypertension, pulmonary; Thromboembolism