Biochemical diagnosis for PHT and Eisenmenger syndrome
Identifying reversibility of pulmonary arterial hypertension remains a difficult clinical problem.Heath edwards grading of pulmonary hypertension is based on lung pathology .Grade 4 and 5 constitute severe obstructive vascular pathology including pulmonary vascular necrosis.
Lung biopsy is an invasive procedure and has a huge risk in patients with elevated pulmonary artery pressure.
Do we have an alternative ?
Does the pulmonary artery sheds necrosed endothelial cells into the circulation ?
Yes it seems so , This month’s Nature cardiology reveals a breakthrough concept
The CEC (Circulating endothelial cells count ) can be used as marker and may be considered a non invasive equivalent of lung biopsy
http://www.nature.com/nrcardio/journal/v6/n4/full/nrcardio.2009.18.html
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 