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Eur Respir J 2013; 41: 217–223

DOI: 10.1183/09031936.00074312
CopyrightßERS 2013

SERIES ‘‘PHYSIOLOGY IN RESPIRATORY MEDICINE’’


Edited by R. Naeije, D. Chemla, A. Vonk Noordegraaf and
A.T. Dinh-Xuan
Number 1 in this Series

The transpulmonary pressure gradient for


the diagnosis of pulmonary vascular
disease
Robert Naeije*, Jean-Luc Vachiery#, Patrick Yerly# and Rebecca Vanderpool*

ABSTRACT: The transpulmonary pressure gradient (TPG), defined by the difference between AFFILIATIONS
mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) and left atrial pressure (Pla; commonly estimated by *Dept of Physiology, Faculty of
Medicine, Free University Brussels,
pulmonary capillary wedge pressure: Ppcw) has been recommended for the detection of intrinsic and
pulmonary vascular disease in left-heart conditions associated with increased pulmonary venous #
Dept of Cardiology, Erasme
pressure. In these patients, a TPG of .12 mmHg would result in a diagnosis of ‘‘out of proportion’’ University Hospital, Free University
pulmonary hypertension. This value is arbitrary, because the gradient is sensitive to changes in Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.

cardiac output and both recruitment and distension of the pulmonary vessels, which decrease the CORRESPONDENCE
upstream transmission of Pla. Furthermore, pulmonary blood flow is pulsatile, with systolic Ppa R Naeije
and mean Ppa determined by stroke volume and arterial compliance. It may, therefore, be Dept of Physiology
Faculty of Medicine
preferable to rely on a gradient between diastolic Ppa and Ppcw. The measurement of a diastolic
Free University of Brussels
Ppa/Ppcw gradient (DPG) combined with systemic blood pressure and cardiac output allows for a 808 Lennik Road
step-by-step differential diagnosis between pulmonary vascular disease, high output or high left- 1070-Brussels
heart filling pressure state, and sepsis. The DPG is superior to the TPG for the diagnosis of ‘‘out of Belgium
proportion’’ pulmonary hypertension. E-mail: rnaeije@ulb.ac.be

Received:
KEYWORDS: Heart failure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, pulmonary circulation, May 10 2012
pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary vascular compliance, pulmonary vascular resistance Accepted after revision:
July 26 2012
First published online:
Aug 30 2012
ulmonary hypertension is defined by a hypertension may not always agree with clinical

P mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa)


o25 mmHg at rest [1, 2]. The diagnosis of
pulmonary vascular disease relies on: invasive
context.
The degree of pulmonary hypertension that is the
passive consequence of increased Pla due to
measurements of mean Ppa o25 mmHg; a pulmon-
advanced left heart failure can be observed in
ary capillary wedge pressure (Ppcw); f15 mmHg; a cardiac transplantation. In patients with purely
pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) o3 Wood passive pulmonary hypertension, the mean Ppa
units; and a transpulmonary pressure gradient would decrease along with decreased Pla, while in
(TPG) o12 mmHg [1, 2]. The TPG is the difference those with ‘‘out of proportion’’ pulmonary hyper-
between mean Ppa and left atrial pressure (Pla). Pla is tension the mean Ppa would remain unchanged, or
usually estimated by Ppcw. The TPG is thought to be decrease proportionally less than Pla. This was
particularly useful to diagnose ‘‘out of proportion examined in 20 previously reported patients with
pulmonary hypertension’’ in patients with left heart pre- and post-operative haemodynamic measure-
failure or mitral stenosis [1]. ‘‘Out of proportion’’ ments [3]. Before transplantation the mean¡SE was:
infers that mean Ppa is higher than expected from an 43¡2 mmHg for Ppa; 29¡2 mmHg for Ppcw,
upstream transmission of Pla, because of increased 604¡60 dyn?s-1?cm-5?m-2 for PVRi; 14¡1 mmHg
tone and/or structural changes. However, a TPG- for TPG. After transplantation: the mean¡SE was
derived diagnosis of ‘‘out of proportion’’ pulmonary 25¡2 mmHg for Ppa; 12¡1 mmHg for Ppcw,
European Respiratory Journal

For editorial comments see page 7.


Print ISSN 0903-1936
Online ISSN 1399-3003 c
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL VOLUME 41 NUMBER 1 217
SERIES: PHYSIOLOGY IN RESPIRATORY MEDICINE R. NAEIJE ET AL.

452¡50 dyn?s-1?cm-5?m-2 for PVRi; and 12¡1 mmHg for TPG. to flow; like the height of a waterfall. Pla then becomes an
In this series of patients, transplantation was followed by a apparent outflow pressure and Pc the effective outflow pressure
proportional decrease in mean Ppa and Ppcw (by, on average, of the pulmonary circulation, while the PVR equation remains
18 mmHg and 17 mmHg, respectively) suggestive of purely valid provided Pla is replaced by Pc. When Pla is higher than Pc,
passive pulmonary hypertension. Yet the initial TPG was, on the vessel opens and the driving pressure for flow becomes Ppa
average, .12 mmHg, with a range of values from 6–20 mmHg. minus Pla, the effective outflow pressure of the pulmonary
Since transplantation did not always normalise mean Ppa, the data circulation is Pla and the usual PVR equation can be used.
taken from 12 out of the 20 patients in whom mean Ppa decreased
A Pc higher than Pla is typically observed in West’s zones I and
to below the value of 25 mmHg were re-examined. The pre-
II in the upper parts of normal vertical lungs [6]. Diseases
operative TPG was .12 mmHg (range 12–20 mmHg) in six of the
associated with increased pulmonary vessel tone and/or
patients. Thus, in this limited series of patients, a TPG .12 mmHg
alveolar pressure (PA) are associated with an increase in Pc. In
did not predict ‘‘out of proportion’’ pulmonary hypertension
these patients, mean Ppa becomes less sensitive or even
better than flipping a coin. How is this possible?
insensitive to changes in flow or Pla, and calculated PVR rapidly
decreases with increased cardiac output [7]. The presence of a
HOW LEFT ATRIAL PRESSURE AFFECTS MEAN closing pressure in the pulmonary circulation can be identified
PULMONARY ARTERIAL PRESSURE by a gradient between Pla and the extrapolated pressure
The normal relationship between mean Ppa and Pla is described intercept of the linear adjustment of a multiple mean Ppa–Q
by the PVR equation rearranged as: mean Ppa5PVR6Q+Pla, coordinates measured at constant Pla. Further proof is brought
where Q is pulmonary blood flow. The inherent assumptions of about by the demonstration of a functional dissociation between
the PVR equation are that the TPGT–Q relationship is linear, Pc and Pla on mean Ppa–Pla relationships in experimental
crosses a zero pressure/zero flow value, and is, therefore, preparations in which flow is kept constant; this is discussed
independent of the absolute value of Pla. Many studies have further by NAEIJE [3]. A typical experiment in an intact animal
shown that the TPG–Q relationship may be reasonably well preparation of oleic acid lung injury, as a model of the acute
described by a linear approximation over a limited range of respiratory distress syndrome, is shown in figure 1 [8]. In this
physiological flows, but that its extrapolated pressure intercept is animal, the extrapolated intercept of linear mean Ppa–Q plots
most often positive, and that the slope of the mean Ppa–Pla revealed a Pc higher than Pla, and Pla had to be increased above
relationship is less than the unity [4]. that value to be transmitted upstream to mean Ppa.
It has long been known that PVR decreases with increases in Q The ‘‘waterfall model’’’ of the pulmonary circulation does not
or Pla. This has been initially explained by a pulmonary take into account the natural distensibility of the pulmonary
circulation model of parallel collapsible vessels with a distribu- vessels. A sufficient number of mean Ppa–Q coordinates, .4–5,
tion of closing pressures (Pc) [5]. In each of these vessels, flow is show a slight curvilinearity, which is ignored by linear
determined by a pressure gradient between Ppa and Pc adjustment procedures. This curvilinearity is explained by the
whenever there is a Pc .Pla. A Pla lower than Pc is irrelevant fact that a high flow distends pulmonary resistive vessels, and is

a) 30 b) 30
Pla=6 mmHg Q=3 L·min-1·m-2
OA
Base

20
Ppa mmHg

Ppa mmHg

20

10

0 10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 10 20
Q L·min-1·m-2 Pla mmHg

FIGURE 1. a) Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) as a function of cardiac output (Q) at constant left atrial pressure (Pla) and b) Ppa as a function of Pla at constant Q,
in an animal before (base) and after induction of acute lung injury by the injection of oleic acid (OA). Before OA, Ppa–Q plots presented with an extrapolated pressure intercept
equal to Pla and any increase in Pla was transmitted upstream to Ppa. After OA, Ppa–Q plots presented with an extrapolated pressure intercept higher than Pla, and Pla was not
transmitted upstream to Ppa below a pressure equal to that value. These observations suggest that OA-induced pulmonary hypertension is caused by an increase in the
closing pressure of the pulmonary circulation. Data from [8].

218 VOLUME 41 NUMBER 1 EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL


R. NAEIJE ET AL. SERIES: PHYSIOLOGY IN RESPIRATORY MEDICINE

an important cause of decreased slope of mean Ppa–Q relation- de-recruitment has to be taken into account in low cardiac
ships, or PVR along with increasing flow. High flow linear output or high alveolar pressure states. The slope of the mean
adjustments of multipoint mean Ppa–Q relationships are, there- Ppa–Pla relationship decreases with pulmonary vascular disten-
fore, associated with spurious increase in Pc estimated from sion, but may increase in de-recruited lungs. In that case, an
extrapolated pressure intercepts [9]. increased TPG may falsely suggest pulmonary vasoconstriction
or remodelling.
This difficulty is overcome by a mathematical model of the
pulmonary circulation fitting multipoint mean Ppa–Q plots by There is thus no good rationale for a stable cut-off value of
an equation relating mean Ppa, Pla, Q, total PVR at rest (R0) and 12 mmHg for the TPG as the measurement is sensitive to Pla-
a distensibility coefficient (a) [9]: dependent changes in pulmonary vascular recruitment and
distension
mean Ppa 5 ([(1 + aPla)5 + 5aR0(Q)]1/5 - 1)/a (1)
The normal value for a measured on in vitro mounted HOW LEFT ATRIAL PRESSURE AFFECTS PULSATILE
pulmonary resistive vessels is 2% change in diameter per PULMONARY ARTERIAL PRESSURE
mmHg change in pressure, and is remarkably constant in a wide The above considerations do not take into account the natural
spectrum of animal species [10]. It is interesting that the same pulsatility of the pulmonary circulation. Pulmonary flow reaches
distensibility a-value of 2% per mmHg has been recovered by a maximum during systole, and is inappreciable at the end of
the application of the distensibility model equation to either diastole. Accordingly, in a normal pulmonary circulation,
invasive [10] or noninvasive [11–13] measurements of pulmon- diastolic Ppa is approximately equal to Pla [14]. It has been
ary vascular pressures and flows. The distensibility factor a is assumed, after taking into account errors for measurements of
higher in young healthy females when compared with males ¡1–2 mmHg, 5 mmHg would be a reasonable upper limit for
[12], and decreases with aging [12] or with chronic hypoxic normal diastolic Ppa/Ppcw gradient. This is indeed what was
exposure [13]. established on the basis of invasive hemodynamic measurements
in 44 healthy volunteers aged 17–83 yrs, at rest and at various
The distensibility equation allows for the modelling of the levels of exercise in either recumbent and sitting positions
effects of increased Q or Pla on mean Ppa at various levels of associated with Ppcw values up to 34 mmHg and cardiac outputs
vascular distensibility and PVR. The results are shown in of up to 25–30 L?min-1[14]. Systolic Ppa and mean Ppa, at any
figures 2 and 3. It is apparent that an increase in a decreases given diastolic Ppa, increase in a fixed proportion depending on
mean Ppa or TPG at any given level of flow (figs 2 and 3) and stroke volume (SV) and pulmonary arterial compliance (Cpa),
also decreases the TPG along with an increase in Ppcw (fig. 3) In which decreases along with increased Pla. Therefore systolic Ppa
other words, an increase in Q and/or Pla may falsely decrease and mean Ppa can be predicted from diastolic Ppa using the
the TPG that would ordinarily be increased because of the following equations [14]:
pulmonary vasoconstriction or remodelling.
systolic Ppa 5 1.41 + 1.61 diastolic Ppa + 0.09 SV (2)
Distensible models provide a satisfactory explanation for all
mean Ppa 5 -1.33 + 1.34 diastolic Ppa + 0.05 SV (3)
possible normal or pathological pulmonary vascular pressure–
flow relationships in fully recruited lungs. Pulmonary vascular Predicted mean Ppa and systolic Ppa as a function of Ppcw at
various SVs are illustrated in figures 4–6.
45 Ppcw=10 mmHg
It now appears that the TPG may remain unchanged if diastolic
40 PVR=3 Ppa increases less than Ppcw, but increases if diastolic Ppa
increases by an equal amount or more than Ppcw. Alternatively,
35 the diastolic Ppa/Ppcw gradient (DPG) decreases or remains
unchanged as long as the upstream transmission of Ppcw remains
30 α=1% equal or less than the unity, which is expected in the absence of
Ppa mmHg

25 α=2% pulmonary vasoconstriction or remodelling.


The tight correlation between systolic, mean, and diastolic Ppa
20 PVR=1
α=1%
was recently rediscovered, with similar prediction equations
15 α=2% that interestingly remained valid in pulmonary hypertension of
various severities and aetiologies [15–17]. This is explained by
10 the monotonous response of the pulmonary circulation to
insults, leading to proportional inverse changes in Cpa and PVR
5
with an unaltered time constant Cpa 6 PVR 0.6–0.7 s [18, 19].
0 There may be one noticeable exception: pulmonary hyperten-
0 5 10 15 sion on passive upstream transmission of increased Pla in left
Q L·min-1 heart conditions. In these patients Cpa decreases proportionally
more than the increase in PVR, because increased Pla is a cause
FIGURE 2. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) as a function of cardiac of both pulmonary arterial stiffening and decreased PVR.
output (Q) at two different levels of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Increasing Accordingly, the time constant in pulmonary hypertension on
distensibility (a) decreases Ppa at any given level of Q. Thus pulmonary vascular left heart conditions is shorter than in other types of pulmonary
distensibility results in a Ppa that is less than the one predicted by a linear model,
which is the PVR equation.
hypertension [20]. This spuriously increases the TPG, but does
not affect DPG. c
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL VOLUME 41 NUMBER 1 219
SERIES: PHYSIOLOGY IN RESPIRATORY MEDICINE R. NAEIJE ET AL.

a) 35 Ppcw=10 mmHg b) 18 Q=5 L·min-1

16
30 PVR=3 PVR=3
14
25
12
TPG mmHg

TPG mmHg
20 α=1% 10 α=1%

15 α=2% 8
α=2%
6
10 PVR=1 PVR=1
4
α=1%
α=1%
5 α=2%
2 α=2%

0 0
0 5 10 15 5 10 15 20
Q L·min-1 Ppcw mmHg

FIGURE 3. In the linear model, the transpulmonary pressure gradient (TPG) is only a function of flow rate (Q) as shown in a), and is not affected by pulmonary capillary
wedge pressure (Ppcw), as shown in b), whatever the pulmonary vascular resistance. An increase in pulmonary vascular distensibility decreases the TPG as a function of Q as
well as of Ppcw.

It must be reminded that Cpa should not be confused with the preferable because this gradient is less sensitive to changes in
distensibility coefficient a. Cpa is a global calculation, influ- Cpa, SV, and absolute values of Pla.
enced by proximal pulmonary arterial elasticity, while dis-
tensibility coefficient a strictly corresponds to the distensibility THE DPG FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF
of small peripheral pulmonary resistive vessels. PULMONARY HYPERTENSION
Thus the disproportionate decrease in Cpa in the presence of The DPG used to be implemented in the assessment of cardiac
increased Pla may be a cause of increased TPG without any versus pulmonary causes of acute respiratory failure in
coexistent pulmonary vasoconstriction or remodelling. How critically ill patients [21]. Here we propose an adaptation of
this may cancel out the decrease in TPG, related to pulmonary this DPG-derived decision tree to make it more generally
vascular recruitment and distension, is unpredictable. applicable (fig. 7). The previous decision tree rested on a cut-
off value for Ppcw of 10 mmHg. A Ppcw of 12 mmHg, or a
Clinicians, understandably, like to have cut-off values for direct measure of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of
decision making purposes that are based on haemodynamic 15 mmHg, would seem a more reasonable cut-off value as
measurements. We regret to have to tell them that a TPG of extreme upper limits of normal; as used in diagnostic
12 mmHg cannot be used for that purpose. The DPG may be algorithms of diastolic heart failure [22]. The next step is a

a) 100 b) 30

25
80
SV mL
Δ Pressure mmHg

20
Pressure mmHg

120
80
60 40
sPpa
120 15
80
40 TPG
mPpa
40 SV mL
10
120
80
20 dPpa=0.75×Ppcw+3
5 40

DPG
0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Ppcw mmHg Ppcw mmHg

FIGURE 4. Effects of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (Ppcw) and stroke volume (SV) on systolic (s), diastolic (d) and mean (m) pulmonary arterial pressures (Ppa). If
only a fraction of Ppcw is transmitted to diastolic Ppa, the transpulmonary pressure gradient (TPG) is not a function of Ppcw but increases proportionally with SV. The diastolic
Ppa/Ppcw gradient (DPG) decreases with increased Ppcw, independently of SV. The equations from [14] were used to model the response of the vasculature.

220 VOLUME 41 NUMBER 1 EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL


R. NAEIJE ET AL. SERIES: PHYSIOLOGY IN RESPIRATORY MEDICINE

a) 100 b) 30

SV mL
120 25 SV mL
80 80
40 120
sPpa 80

Δ Pressure mmHg
20
Pressure mmHg

120
80 40
60 40 TPG
mPpa
15

40
dPpa=Ppcw+3 10

20
5
DPG

0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Ppcw mmHg Ppcw mmHg

FIGURE 5. Effects of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (Ppcw) and stroke volume (SV) on systolic (s), diastolic (d) and mean (m) pulmonary arterial pressures (Ppa). If
Ppcw is directly transmitted to diastolic Ppa, there is a disproportional increase in systolic Ppa and mean Ppa depending on SV. The transpulmonary pressure gradient (TPG)
increases, but the diastolic Ppa/Ppcw gradient (DPG) is independent of both Ppcw and SV. The equations from [14] were used to model the response of the vasculature.

DPG below or above 5 mmHg, to discern passive upstream proposed because of insufficient evidence and the desire to
transmission of Pla from increased PVR due to pulmonary propose a decision tree with sufficient flexibility to assist, rather
vasoconstriction and/or pulmonary vascular structural changes. than impose, clinical decisions.
The last step is cardiac output, being normal or decreased in
heart failure, or normal or increased in hypervolaemia and/or CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVE
increased venous return on low systemic vascular resistance in In 1971, HARVEY et al. [14] stated: ‘‘The pulmonary circulation
anaemia, systemic shunts, or sepsis. The arteriovenous oxygen has been under intensive study by innumerable investigators for
content difference (Dav,O2) can be used as a surrogate of cardiac almost 30 years. From the vast amounts of carefully accumulated
output, as the Fick equation predicts that both variables are data, certain conclusions can be drawn’’. More than 40 yrs later,
inversely correlated at any given value of oxygen uptake [21]. there has been progress, but also some persisting misconcep-
The Dav,O2 is a useful internal control to integrate in haemody- tions. A typical example is the reliance of the TPG for the
namic measurements at right heart catheterisation, as errors on a differential diagnosis of pulmonary vascular disease. The present
measurement of cardiac output are always possible. Low discussion shows how the TPG may over-diagnose or under-
systemic blood pressure argues in favour of a septic complica- diagnose pulmonary vascular disease in left heart conditions
tion. Cut-off values for cardiac output or blood pressure are not associated with an increased pulmonary venous pressure, and

a) 100 b) 30 SV mL
SV mL
120
120
80 80
40 25
80 sPpa 40
TPG
120
Pressure mmHg

20
Δ Pressure mmHg

80
40
60 mPpa

15

40 dPpa=1.1×Ppcw+3
10
DPG
20
5

0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Ppcw mmHg Ppcw mmHg

FIGURE 6. Effects of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (Ppcw) and stroke volume (SV) on systolic (s), diastolic (d) and mean (m) pulmonary arterial pressures (Ppa). If
diastolic Ppa increases more than Ppcw, there is an out of proportion increase in systolic Ppa and mean Ppa that is a function of SV. The transpulmonary pressure gradient
(TPG) increases. The diastolic Ppa/Ppcw gradient (DPG) increases linearly, but only slightly, with Ppcw and is independent of SV. The equations from [14] were used to model
the response of the vasculature. c
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL VOLUME 41 NUMBER 1 221
SERIES: PHYSIOLOGY IN RESPIRATORY MEDICINE R. NAEIJE ET AL.

Ppcw

≥12 mmHg <12 mmHg

Evidence of cardiac dysfunction No evidence of cardiac dysfunction

Normotension Hypotension

DPG DPG DPG

≤5 mmHg >5 mmHg >5 mmHg ≤5 mmHg

Cardiac output Cardiac output

Decreased Normal Decreased Normal

LV failure Hypervolaemia Pulmonary vascular disease Hypervolaemia


Hypovolaemia
Pump failure

FIGURE 7. Pulmonary capillary wedge (Ppcw)-derived algorithm for the diagnosis of heart failure (low or high output) versus intrinsic pulmonary vascular disease. A cut-
off value of 12 mmHg is selected as a true upper limit for normal Ppcw measured at right heart catheterisation. If the cardiac catheterisation is left, Ppcw is replaced by left
ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure, with a cut-off value of 15 mmHg. Systemic hypotension is considered to make the decision tree applicable to septic shock. DPG:
diastolic pulmonary arterial pressure/Ppcw gradient.

that this is, to a large extent, avoided by the use of a DPG. The measurements and they should be cross-checked with clinical
DPG combined with clinical probability assessment, absolute probability assessments and alternative imaging techniques
values of Ppcw or Pla, cardiac output or DavO2 and blood pressure should be pursued, whenever possible.
measurements appear to be more useful for the diagnosis of ‘‘out
of proportion’’ pulmonary hypertension secondary to left heart STATEMENT OF INTEREST
conditions, and may help in the management of critically ill A statement of interest for R. Naeije can be found at www.erj.
patients with sepsis or acute lung injury. ersjournals.com/site/misc/statements.xhtml

It is of course understood that the presently proposed diagnostic


tree requires prospective validation. This could be undertaken
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