Defence of doctoral thesis on pulmonary hypertension or increased pulmonary arterial pressure

On 21 May at 15:00 in an open meeting of the Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Medical Promotion Council held in the Hippocrates Lecture Theatre (Rīga, 16 Dzirciema iela) Andris Skride defended his doctoral thesis “Haemodynamic parameter assessment and mortality risk factor identification in patients with pulmonary arterial and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension”. 

Pulmonary hypertension is a condition of increased pulmonary arterial pressure. The disease may take various forms and can be a life-threatening condition if untreated. In the absence of a specific therapy, the average life expectancy of such patients does not exceed two years after diagnosis. The condition commonly affects young people of working age.

A comprehensive study on the topic was carried out between 2007 to 2016 involving patients with pulmonary arterial and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension - two rare but curable forms of the disease. Before inclusion in the study all patients underwent right heart catheterisation to precisely determine their haemodynamic parameters.

The main aim of the study was early identification (at time of diagnosis) of the factors influencing mortality, making it possible to collect information on the patients that require more intense therapy and monitoring. The study also determined the epidemiology of the disease in Latvia and calculated the life expectancy of patients.

As a result of the study, it has been discovered that the main mortality risk factors for the pulmonary arterial hypertension patient group is right atrial pressure and the patient’s functional class at time of diagnosis. A statistically significant mortality risk criterion for thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is young age.

Several new treatment methods were implemented in Latvia during the study – lung transplantation, pulmonary endarterectomy and medication-based therapy. The scientific contribution of Latvia to the treatment of the disease is confirmed by 10 scientific publications in international, peer-reviewed professional journals. The doctoral thesis of Andris Skride is available here: