Frequency of Supraventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA) may be risk factors of prognosis in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. SVA are increasingly reported in patients with pulmonary hypertension, but little is known about their incidence and outcomes for patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) in a large cohort. In this 6-year prospective multicenter study, 280 patients with IPAH were enrolled to investigate the incidence of SVA and assess risk factors, clinical manifestation, management, and impact on survival. The cumulative 6-year incidence of SVA was 15.8%. The most common types of SVA were atrial fibrillation (n = 16) and atrial flutter (n = 13), followed by atrial tachycardia (n = 11). Most episodes of SVA were associated with significant clinical deterioration and right-sided cardiac failure. Sinus rhythm was successfully restored in most patients, resulting in clinical recovery. Increased right ventricular diameter, left atrial area, and higher right atrial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were associated with increased risk for experiencing SVA. SVA predicted a greater risk for mortality in a stepwise forward Cox analysis (hazard ratio 4.757, 95% confidence interval 2.695 to 8.397, p <0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients with SVA, mainly permanent SVA, had a lower survival rate than those who did not develop SVA (p = 0.008). In conclusion, SVA often lead to clinical deterioration and may be associated with an increased risk for death in a large cohort of patients with IPAH. Restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm are important treatment goals in patients with IPAH.