Pulmonary hypertension increases the risk of cystic fibrosis patients’ lung function worsening, but is not a predictor of reduced survival, a study reports.
The research, ”Prognostic significance of pulmonary hypertension in patients with cystic fibrosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” was published in the journal Medicine.
In addition to chronic lung infections and bronchiectasis, CF patients can develop PH, which can lead to poorer outcomes.
In these patients, the main cause of PH is diminished oxygen levels in tissue, which leads to constriction of lung arteries and increased pulmonary blood vessel resistance. The destruction of lung tissue and associated loss of pulmonary blood vessels is another possible cause of PH in CF.