Diagnostic and Prognostic Role of Plasma Osteopontin Levels in Children with Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Congenital Heart Disease at Tanta University Hospitals

Background: Natural progression of CHD often results in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which is a leading cause of death and disability.

Aim: The goal of this work is to clarify the prognostic and diagnostic usefulness of OPN in children with PAH-CHD, as well as to determine whether or not its level correlates with clinical and echocardiographic data of PAH-CHD.

Methodology: Fifty CHD children and twenty-five healthy children served as a control subject in this research. Plasma OPN levels were measured using ELISA kits after a thorough medical history, physical examination, and series of tests (radiological, laboratory, and diagnostic).

Place and Duration of Study: Patients were chosen from those hospitalised to the Tanta University Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Pediatric Department, between April 2021 and April 2022.

Results: There was significant increase of plasma OPN levels in PAH- CHD patients as compared to CHD patients without PH as compared to control group. OPN levels was also found to be positively correlated with age, disease severity, mPAP and RV diameter and negatively correlated with RV E/A ratio. OPN can be used as a diagnostic biomarker with sensitivity 92% and specificity 96% and as a prognostic biomarker with sensitivity 86% and specificity 90%.

Conclusion: Plasma levels of OPN were significantly elevated in PAH-CHD children, and these levels were correlated to the severity of PH and echocardiographic parameters. OPN levels were markedly elevated in PAH-CHD patients with bad prognosis.