Lower Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation is Associated with Worse Heart Failure Free Survival

Purpose Pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi) before left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is associated with postoperative right ventricular failure . This study aimed to investigate the implication of post LVAD PAPi on clinical outcomes. Methods Following LVAD implantation, invasive hemodynamic tests were performed. PAPi was calculated as (systolic pulmonary artery pressure - diastolic pulmonary artery pressure)/mean right atrial pressure . One-year mortality, gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), heart failure (HF), pump thrombosis (PT), and stroke event rates were compared between low PAPi group and high PAPi group based on the established ROC cut-off value. Results 97 LVAD patients received hemodynamic tests at 598 ± 668 days following LVAD implantation. The mean age was 60 years old and 60 (62%) were male. Mean PAPi was 2.9 ± 2.6. We divided the subjects into a low PAPi group (PAPi ventricular tachyarrhythmia prior to LVAD implantation (p 0.05 for all). Conclusion Lower PAPi post LVAD implantation is associated with reduced survival free from HF hospitalization. PAPi may serve as a marker of right ventricular failure in this population.