{Reference Type}: Clinical Study
{Title}: Estimation of Right Atrial Pressure by Ultrasound-Assessed Jugular Vein Distensibility in Patients With Heart Failure.
{Author}: Ammirati E;Marchetti D;Colombo G;Pellicori P;Gentile P;D'Angelo L;Masciocco G;Verde A;Macera F;Brunelli D;Occhi L;Musca F;Perna E;Bernasconi DP;Moreo A;Camici PG;Metra M;Oliva F;Garascia A;
{Journal}: Circ Heart Fail
{Volume}: 17
{Issue}: 2
{Year}: 2024 02 1
{Factor}: 10.447
{DOI}: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.123.010973
{Abstract}: Clinical evaluation of central venous pressure is difficult, depends on experience, and is often inaccurate in patients with chronic advanced heart failure. We assessed the ultrasound-assessed internal jugular vein (JV) distensibility by ultrasound as a noninvasive tool to identify patients with normal right atrial pressure (RAP ≤7 mm Hg) in this population.<BR>We measured JV distensibility as the Valsalva-to-rest ratio of the vein diameter in a calibration cohort (N=100) and a validation cohort (N=101) of consecutive patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction who underwent pulmonary artery catheterization for advanced heart failure therapies workup.<BR>A JV distensibility threshold of 1.6 was identified as the most accurate to discriminate between patients with RAP ≤7 versus >7 mm Hg (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.64-0.84]) and confirmed in the validation cohort (receiver operating characteristic, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.73-0.92]). A JV distensibility ratio >1.6 had predictive positive values of 0.86 and 0.94, respectively, to identify patients with RAP ≤7 mm Hg in the calibration and validation cohorts. Compared with patients from the calibration cohort with a high JV distensibility ratio (>1.6; n=42; median RAP, 4 mm Hg; pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, 11 mm Hg), those with a low JV distensibility ratio (≤1.6; n=58; median RAP, 8 mm Hg; pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, 22 mm Hg; P<0.0001 for both) were more likely to die or undergo a left ventricular assist device implant or heart transplantation (event rate at 2 years: 42.7% versus 18.2%; log-rank P=0.034).<BR>Ultrasound-assessed JV distensibility identifies patients with chronic advanced heart failure with normal RAP and better outcomes.<BR>URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03874312.