Tricuspid regurgitation velocity reflects pulmonary artery mean pressure better than systolic pressure in cardiogenic shock

Abstract

In this exploratory analysis of 35 patients with ischemic cardiogenic shock, we evaluated the correlation between tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) and pulmonary artery catheter-derived pressures. TRV correlated best with pulmonary artery mean pressure (r = 0.54, p = 0.0009), more than with systolic or diastolic pressures. A TRV threshold of 2.3 m/s identified mean pressure >25 mmHg with 81% sensitivity and 62% specificity. These findings suggest that TRV may serve as a non-invasive indicator of elevated pulmonary pressure in critically ill patients when invasive monitoring is unavailable. Further validation in larger, diverse cohorts is needed. Copyright © The Intensive Care Society 2025