Abstract
BACKGROUND: The contemporary outcome of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) and pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to clarify the characteristics and outcomes of CTEPH patients treated with BPA and PEA in Japan. METHODS: Among 1,270 participants enrolled between 2018 and 2023 in the CTEPH AC (Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Anticoagulant) registry, a Japanese nationwide CTEPH registry, 369 treatment-naive patients (BPA strategy: n = 313; PEA strategy: n = 56) and 690 on-treatment patients (BPA strategy: n = 561; PEA strategy: n = 129) were classified according to the presence of prior reperfusion therapy. Morbidity and mortality events (all-cause death, rescue mechanical reperfusion therapy, and/or initiation of parenteral pulmonary vasodilators), pulmonary hemodynamics, exercise tolerance, and relevant laboratory test results were evaluated. RESULTS: The BPA strategy was chosen in older patients than the PEA strategy (mean age, BPA vs PEA: 66.5 ± 12.6 years vs 62.5 ± 11.8 years; P = 0.028). Median follow-up period was 615 (Q1-Q3: 311-997) days in treatment-naive patients and 1,136 (Q1-Q3: 684-1,300) days in on-treatment patients. BPA strategy had as acceptable morbidity and mortality as PEA strategy (5-year morbidity and mortality event rate, BPA vs PEA: 10.2% [95% CI: 5.2%-19.5%] vs 16.1% [95% CI: 4.3%-50.6%] in treatment-naive patients; 9.7% [95% CI: 6.7%-13.8%] vs 6.9% [95% CI: 2.7%-17.3%] in on-treatment patients), with greater improvement of renal function; glomerular filtration rate in propensity score-matched population (difference between change: 4.9 [95% CI: 0.5-9.3] mL/min/1.73 m(2); P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: BPA strategy was more frequently chosen in older patients compared with PEA strategy and showed acceptable outcomes for efficacy with greater advantage for improvement in renal function. (Multicenter registry of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Japan; UMIN000033784).