PIMR and Pulmonary Vascular Disease

The findings from this innovative, first-in-man, prospective pilot study will elucidate the role of PIMR and RV-IMR in pre-capillary PH. The study cohort will consist of patients with pulmonary pressures ranging from normal (advanced lung disease patients undergoing lung transplant evaluation) to severe PH (PAH and CTEPH patients), and thus will allow for identification of a PIMR cutoff. Participants will include: 1) advanced lung disease patients undergoing bilateral heart catheterization as part of their pre-lung transplant work-up, and 2) newly referred patients to PAH and CTEPH clinics undergoing bilateral heart catheterization as part of standard of care work-up. All participants will undergo PIMR testing, and those with pre-capillary PH will also undergo pulmonary OCT and measurement of RV-IMR. The study seeks to define the relationship between PIMR and PH and to establish the PIMR threshold that identifies pulmonary microvascular dysfunction as well as to evaluate the association of PIMR and pulmonary vascular remodeling on OCT in patients with pre-capillary PH. In addition, the study will assess the relationship between RV-IMR and RV pressure overload among patients with pre-capillary PH.