RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Clinical evaluation of RV wall stress in pulmonary arterial hypertension: A follow-up study using magnetic resonance imaging JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP p1513 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 Sophie Ariane Dusoswa A1 Marielle C. van de Veerdonk A1 Taco Kind A1 J. Tim Marcus A1 Nico Westerhof A1 Anton Vonk-Noordegraaf YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p1513.abstract AB Background: In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) survival is strongly associated with right ventricular (RV) function and its ability to adapt to the increased pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). RV remodeling to the increased load is often characterized by dilatation, and hypertrophy. RV wall stress is a simple parameter that contains the effects of PAP, dilatation and hypertrophy. Therefore this study aims to evaluate RV wall stress in patients during follow-up.Methods and results: At baseline 53 patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and right heart catheterization (RHC). In all patients RV end-systolic wall stress (RVESWS) was calculated using the law of Laplace. Eight patients died during the first year of follow-up and therefore 45 patients underwent MRI and RHC after 1-year follow-up. During a median long term follow-up of 57 months another 10 patients died. At baseline, RVESWS appeared to be similar in survivors and non-survivors (n=53, p=0.765). In contrast, change of RVESWS during the 1-year follow-up differed significantly (n=45, p=0.014) between survivors and non-survivors. Survivors showed a decrease in RVESWS during 1-year follow-up, whereas non-survivors showed an increase of RVESWS during 1-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a higher mortality rate in patients with an increase of RVESWS>17 mmHg than in patients with an increase of RVESWS<17 mmHg or a decrease of RVESWS during follow- up (n=45, p<0.001).Conclusion: Progressive RV failure is characterized by an increase of RVESWS.