Table 3. Variables with established importance for assessing disease severity, stability and prognosis in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Determinants of prognosisBetter prognosisWorse prognosis
Clinical evidence of RVFNoYes
Rate of progression of symptomsSlowRapid
SyncopeNoYes
WHO-FCI, IIIV
6MWTLonger (>500 m)Shorter (<300 m)
Cardiopulmonary exercise testingPeak O2 consumption >15 mL·min−1·kg−1Peak O2 consumption <12 mL·min−1·kg−1
BNP/NT-proBNP plasma levelsNormal or near normalVery elevated and rising
Echocardiographic findingsNo pericardial effusionPericardial effusion
TAPSE >2.0 cmTAPSE <1.5 cm
HaemodynamicsPra <8 mmHg and CI ≥2.5 L·min−1·m−2Pra >15 mmHg or CI ≤2.0 L·min−1·m−2

  • RVF: right ventricle failure; WHO-FC: World Health Organization functional class; 6MWT: 6-min walk test; BNP: brain natriuretic peptide; NT-proBNP: N-terminal pro-BNP; TAPSE: tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion; Pra: right atrial pressure; CI: cardiac index. Reproduced from [2] with permission from the publisher.