Korean J Intern Med.  2016 Mar;31(2):305-312. 10.3904/kjim.2014.122.

Epidemiology of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Korea: results from the Korean registry

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital and Lung Research Institute, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. bfspark@medimail.co.kr
  • 2Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Lung Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 4Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 5Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 6Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul,Korea.
  • 7Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
The diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is difficult for numerous reasons and is related with a poor prognosis. In Korea, the incidence of CTEPH and its clinical features are unknown. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CTEPH in a Korean cohort.
METHODS
This study included South Korean patients diagnosed with CTEPH between September 2008 and October 2011. Baseline characteristics, treatments and outcomes were analyzed.
RESULTS
A total of 134 patients were included in this study with 76 females (56.7%). Their median age was 58.3 +/- 15.9 years and dyspnea (112 patients, 83.5%) was the most common presenting symptom. Sixty-three patients (47%) had a history of acute pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, and six (4.5%) had pulmonary tuberculosis. In total, 28 patients (21%) underwent pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE), and 99 patients had medical therapy. During the study period, 18 patients (13.4%) died. In a multivariate analysis, higher hemoglobin (relative risk [RR], 1.516; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.053 to 2.184; p = 0.025) and lower total cholesterol levels (RR, 0.982; 95% CI, 0.965 to 0.999; p = 0.037) were associated with increased mortality.
CONCLUSIONS
This was the first national cohort study of Korean patients with CTEPH. Accurate diagnosis, characterization and distributions of CTEPH are imperative for prompt treatment in patients, particularly those undergoing PTE.

Keyword

Hypertension, pulmonary; Thromboembolism; Epidemiologic studies; Characteristics

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use
Chi-Square Distribution
Chronic Disease
Drug Therapy, Combination
Endarterectomy
Female
Humans
Hypertension, Pulmonary/diagnosis/*epidemiology/mortality/therapy
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Odds Ratio
Prevalence
Prospective Studies
Pulmonary Embolism/diagnosis/*epidemiology/mortality/therapy
Registries
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Antihypertensive Agents
Full Text Links
  • KJIM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr