Evaluation the change of systolic pulmonary artery pressure during exercise in normal population

摘要

Introduction: As no data is available concerning the cut-off value defining abnormal pulmonary arterysystolic pressure (PASP) response in subjects of various ages, the aim of this study is to assess physiologicalPASP response to exercise in healthy individuals of various ages. Material and methods: One hundred andtwenty three healthy volunteers, aged 30 to 70 years, underwent Doppler echocardiographic measurements atrest and after treadmill exercise test. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure was estimated at rest, and immediatelyafter peak exercise using Bernoulli formula (four times tricuspid valve regurgitation velocity squared adding anestimated right atrial pressure). Results: Lower and upper limits of PASP during rest was 7 and 28 mmHg andafter peak exercise was 14 and 48 mmHg respectively. After exercise, PASP increased from rest (14±4 mmHg)to peak (25±7 mmHg). Pulmonary artery systolic pressure during rest and peak exercise, increased with age, buthas no correlation with body mass index or gender. Conclusion: Pulmonary artery systolic pressure at peakexercise can frequently reach values ≥30 mmHg in healthy individuals with good exercise capacity, especially inelderly individuals, which goes beyond pathologic definitions of pulmonary hypertension.