Main characteristics of the study population
| Normal subjects | Patients with CTD | p-value | |||
| Without PAH | Stress-induced PAH | Resting PAH | |||
| Patients n | 15 | 24 | 6 | 13 | |
| Age yrs | 50±6 | 54±7 | 57±9 | 55±8 | ns |
| BSA m2 | 1.74±0.15 | 1.76±0.16 | 1.76±0.15 | 1.71±0.26 | ns |
| Male/female n | 3/12 | 3/21 | 0/6 | 4/9 | ns |
| Left ventricular EF % | 63.5±2.3** | 61.2±3.3 | 63.3±2.7 | 59.0±3.7 | <0.01 |
| Mitral E/E′ | 5.9±1.3 | 7.1±2.4 | 8.8±1.9 | 8.5±4.4 | ns |
| RV diameter mm | 27.9±2.5*** | 31.8±4.1** | 29.7±3.7* | 38.4±8.2 | <0.001 |
| PASP estimated mmHg | 24.6±2.4*** | 30.0±7.0*** | 31.5±4.2** | 52.7±18.7 | <0.001 |
| Tricuspid S cm·s−1 | 13.9±2.6** | 13.1±2.7 | 12.1±2.1 | 10.6±2.4 | <0.01 |
| Tricuspid E′ cm·s−1 | 11.0±1.7 | 9.7±2.3 | 8.3±2.2# | 8.4±1.1# | <0.01 |
| Tricuspid A′ cm·s−1 | 13.4±3.0 | 13.7±2.8 | 12.9±2.4 | 12.0±3.6 | ns |
Data are presented as mean±sd, unless otherwise stated. CTD: connective tissue disease; PAH: pulmonary artery hypertension; BSA: body surface area; EF: ejection fraction; E: early diastolic velocity; E′: myocardial early diastolic velocity; RV: right ventricle; PASP estimated: systolic pulmonary artery pressure estimated by echocardiography; S: myocardial systolic velocity; A: myocardial late diastolic velocity. *: p<0.05 versus resting PAH; #: p<0.05 versus normal; **: p<0.01 versus resting PAH; ***: p<0.001 versus resting PAH.