Correlating objective echocardiographic parameters in patients with pulmonary hypertension due to bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Echocardiographic parameters assessing left and right heart function were evaluated in children with established pulmonary hypertension (PH) from bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) to look for correlations with each other, and pulmonary artery pressure (PAPs) from right heart catheterizations (RHC). Data were retrospectively collected on patients with BPD and PH and correlations were performed between various objective echocardiographic and RHC measurements. A total of 31 patients with BPD were found to have PH by echocardiogram and RHC after chart review. Median age of evaluation was 0.58 years. Correlations were noted between measurements of right heart function, indirect measures of pulmonary artery pressures and left ventricular dimensions. A trend was noted between the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion obtained at echocardiography and systolic pulmonary artery pressure, obtained during RHC. Significant correlations were found between objective echocardiographic measurements of left and right heart function, in patients with PH from BPD.