RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 A novel echo-score for evaluating the pre-test probability of pre-capillary versus post-capillary pulmonary hypertension JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 2828 VO 40 IS Suppl 56 A1 Michele D'Alto A1 Emanuele Romeo A1 Paola Argiento A1 Anna Correra A1 Berardo Sarubbi A1 Maria Pignatiello A1 Antonietta Caronna A1 Nicola Grimaldi A1 Raffaele Calabrò A1 Maria Giovanna Russo YR 2012 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/2828.abstract AB Aim: To provide an echo-score for evaluating the pre-test probability of pre-capillary (pre-PH) vs post-capillary (post-PH) pulmonary hypertension (PH).Methods: One hundred thirty-five consecutive patients underwent Doppler echocardiography (DE) within 1 hour of a clinically indicated right heart catheterization (RHC). The DE was scored on the basis of features suggesting pre-PH: right atrium (RA) > left atrium (LA), right ventricle (RV) > left ventricle (LV), apex forming RV, LV eccentricity index (EI) <0.9, pericardial effusion (PE), systolic notch at right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), dilated and fixed inferior cava vein (ICV) (yes = 1, no = 0), or post-PH: LV ejection fraction (EF) ≤40%, moderate/severe aortic and/or mitral disease (yes = -1, no = 0). Patients were divided in 3 groups: low score (-2 to 0), medium score (1 to 2) and high score (3 to 7).Results: Twelve/135 patients did not have PH at RHC; 84 showed pre-capillary (54 group 1) and 39 post-capillary PH (group 2). The probability of pre-PH was 37% in presence of low, 86% in presence of medium and 95% in presence of high echo-score. LV-EF ≤40% had 100% specificity for post-PH. The majority of echo features showed an high specificity but a low sensitivity for pre-PH.View this table:Echo features for pre-capillary PH.Conclusion: RHC remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of PH. Nevertheless, a novel easy and integrated echo-score provides a good pre-test probability of having a pre-capillary rather than post-capillary PH.