Evaluation of cardiopulmonary exercise test in the prediction of disease progression in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is a widely used examination to predict the prognosis of many chronic pulmonary diseases, and it has also been tested in systemic sclerosis (SSc) with a focus on the development of pulmonary hypertension. CPET is a highly informative non-invasive tool that provides a more complex information than conventional lung function tests to predict the course of cardiopulmonary diseases, as it provides a general overview of the aerobic metabolism, influenced by pulmonary, cardiovascular and peripheral muscle function. The purpose of this investigation was to assess if the progression and the development of poor overall disease outcome in SSc can be predicted by this method. METHODS: Twenty-nine SSc patients were investigated prospectively with standard follow-up plus CPET for a mean of 3.7 years to match the results of conventional evaluation modalities and CPET. A composite end-point of several serious outcomes reflecting SSc-related vascular and cardiopulmonary damage was set up, and the predictive value of and correlations between the CPET parameters and resting lung function and echocardiography variables were assessed. RESULTS: None of the clinical parameters, resting lung function or echocardiographic test results proved to be predictive of the development of the endpoint of poor prognosis in this cohort. In contrast, several CPET parameters were found to discriminate between SSc patients with or without adverse outcome. The detection of desaturation (at any CPET test) was associated with a higher risk of poor prognosis (OR:5.265). VO2 and VE/VCO2 at baseline correlated with the annual decrease in FVC, anaerobic threshold with the development of digital ulcers, and VE/VO2 with the increase in pulmonary arterial pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Several CPET parameters obtained at the beginning of follow-up are informative of the appearance of various adverse end-points. CPET is a feasible examination in the care of SSc patients and provides excess information to current standard follow-up examinations.

Pulmonary Arterial Pressure Response During Exercise in COPD: A Correlation with C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP).

BACKGROUND: The non-invasive assessment of pulmonary haemodynamics during exercise provides complementary data for the evaluation of exercise tolerance in patients with COPD. METHODS: Exercise echocardiography in the semi-supine position was performed in 27 patients with COPD (C) with a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of 36±12% predicted and 13 age and gender-matched non-COPD subjects (NC). COPD patients also underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing with gas exchange detection (CPET). Furthermore, serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, was also measured. RESULTS: The maximal work rate (WRmax) and aerobic capacity (VO2peak) were significantly reduced (WRmax: 77±33 Watt, VO2peak: 50±14 %pred) in COPD. Pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PAPs) was higher in COPD versus controls both at rest (39±5 vs. 31±2 mmHg, p<0.001), and at peak exercise (72±12 vs. 52±8 mmHg, p<0.001). In 19 (70%) COPD patients, the increase in PAPs was above 22 mmHg. The change in pressure (dPAPs) correlated with hsCRP (r2=0.53, p<0.0001) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (r2=0.18, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: PAPs at rest and during exercise were significantly higher in COPD patients and correlated with higher hsCRP. This may indicate a role for systemic inflammation and hyperinflation in the pulmonary vasculature in COPD. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov webpage with NCT00949195 registration number.