Influence of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function on Exercise-induced Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

Background: Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH) can be caused not only by pulmonary vas‐ culopathy, but also by a significant increase in left ventricular (LV) filling pressure. This study evaluated the influence of LV diastolic function on EIPH in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods: The study included 222 SSc patients (age 58.9 ± 13.1 years, 85% female) and 30 controls with similar age distribution. In all patients,...