Consecutive adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) had a Doppler echocardiography to evaluate if they had a suspected pulmonary hypertension (PH) on the basis of a tricuspid regurgitation jet (TRJ) velocity \> or equal at 2.5m/s. In this case, a right heart catheterization was performed to confirm or not this diagnosis and its mechanisms. Each included patient was followed every year for 3 years: during each visit, a clinical evaluation was obtained and a Doppler echocardiography. In case of emergence of a suspected PH, a right heart catheterization was performed to confirm or not this diagnosis and its mechanisms.
Three groups of patients were defined: no PH, precapillary PH, and a third group including post-capillary PH and hyperkinetic state. These groups were well defined on the basis of the results of th Doppler echocardiography and right heart catheterisation.
Characteristics of patients and their prognosis were evaluated in each group.
In the same, way, biological study is planned to evaluate some biological markers of the mechanism of PH, and prognostic factors.
