Abstract 18738: Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressures Increase With Aging: A Longitudinal, Population Based Study

Background: A community based, cross-sectional echo survey demonstrated that pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) increases with age and that PASP is associated with systemic arterial stiffness, Doppler estimated left ventricular (LV) filling pressures and lung function. Longitudinal assessment of PASP is needed to confirm cross-sectional observations. Objectives: To assess the whether PASP changes over time in longitudinally studied subjects and determine whether changes in PASP are associated with changes in systemic vascular stiffness, LV filling pressures or lung function. Methods: A random sample (n=2042) of the Olmsted County, MN population over age 40 underwent echo, record review and spirometry between 1997-2000 (Exam 1). A subset (n=1402) underwent repeat studies four years later (2001-2004; Exam 2). The current analysis includes the 723 subjects with paired PASP measurements. Changes ([[Unable to Display Character: ▵]]) in PASP, systemic arterial stiffness (pulse pressure; PP), LV filling pressure (E/e’) and lung function (% age/sex expected forced expiratory volume, %FEV1) were assessed. Results: At Exam 1, the median (interquartile range) age was 62 (69-70) years (62% female). Median time between exams was 48 (47-49) months. PASP increased from 26.1 (24.4-30.0) mmHg at Exam 1 to 28.0 (24.4-32.0) mmHg at Exam 2 (p<0.0001 by paired t test) for an average (SD) [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]] of 1.2 ± 5.5 mmHg. Adjusting for age and PASP at Exam 1, [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]]PASP was associated with [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]] age with an increase (parameter estimate (pe) ± standard error (se)) of 1.4±0.7 mmHg per year increase in age (p=0.046). [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]]PASP was not associated with sex and there was no age-sex interaction. Adjusting for age and PASP at Exam 1, [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]] age and Exam 1 values for PP, E/e or %FEV1 as appropriate, [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]]PASP was associated with [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]] PP (pe±se = 0.03±0.01 mmHg; p=0.01) [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]]E/e’ (pe±se = 0.21±0.06 mmHg, p=0.001) and [[Unable to Display Character: ▵]]%FEV1 (-0.09±0.02 mmHg, p<0.0001) suggesting that increases in PASP were related to increases in vascular stiffening, increases in LV filling pressures and declining lung function. Conclusions: In this longitudinal, population based study we find that PASP increases with aging and that increases in PASP over time are related to increases in systemic vascular stiffness and LV filling pressures and decreases in lung function.