Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of patients presenting with pulmonary hypertension due to congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess patients' clinical and echocardiographic features in pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODS: The main inclusion criterion was a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mmHg measured at right heart catheterisation (RHC). All patients underwent clinical examination, electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiogram, and a six-minute walk test (6MWT). RESULTS: had a high sensitivity of 82.4% but a low specificity of 14.3%. CONCLUSION: Our patients exhibited dilation on the right side, especially the pulmonary arteries, which could serve as an early warning for PH. An elevated peak RVSP and a dilated pulmonary artery should alert the physician to the possibility of PH. An echocardiogram should only be used as a screening tool for diagnosing pulmonary hypertension.