This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Related letter  • Similar articles in JAMA  Topic Collections  • Obesity  • Hypertension  • Aging/ Geriatrics  • Cardiovascular System, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 143 words of the full text and any section headings.

To the Editor: In their Grand Rounds article on pulmonary hypertension as a complication of hereditary hemolytic anemias, Dr Barnett and colleagues¹ reported that the upper limit of normal for pulmonary arterial systolic pressure derived from the echocardiographic measurement of the tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity is less than 30 mm Hg. However, this limit does not apply to at least one-third of normal persons, particularly those who are older or obese, in whom the upper limit of normal is 40 mm Hg.²

The pulmonary hypertension in the patient described in the Grand Rounds case presentation was confirmed by the hemodynamic study. Nevertheless, it is important to generally consider that the range of normal pulmonary artery systolic pressure is wider than previously thought. When pulmonary artery systolic pressure is evaluated by echocardiography, age and body mass index should be described.

Financial Disclosures: None reported.

Tomaso Gnecchi-Ruscone, MD
tomasognecchi@gmail.com

Fausto Rigo, MD
Cardiology Department
Ospedale di Merate
Merate, Lecco, Italy

1. Barnett CF, Hsue PY, Machado RF. Pulmonary hypertension: an increasingly recognized complication of hereditary hemolytic anemias and HIV infection. JAMA. 2008;299(3):324-331. FREE FULL TEXT 2. McQuillan BM, Picard MH, Leavitt M, Weyman AE. Clinical correlates and reference intervals for pulmonary artery systolic pressure among echocardiographically normal subjects. Circulation. 2001;104(23):2797-2802. FREE FULL TEXT

Letters Section Editor: Robert M. Golub, MD, Senior Editor.

JAMA. 2008;299(17):2022.

RELATED ARTICLE

Pulmonary Hypertension: An Increasingly Recognized Complication of Hereditary Hemolytic Anemias and HIV Infection
Christopher F. Barnett, Priscilla Y. Hsue, and Roberto F. Machado
JAMA. 2008;299(3):324-331.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

RELATED LETTER

Normal Range for Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure—Reply
Roberto F. Machado, Priscilla Y. Hsue, and Christopher F. Barnett
JAMA. 2008;299(17):2022-2023.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT