Detecting early right-heart changes and future lung high blood pressure in systemic sclerosis
Early Detection of Right Ventricular Dysfunction and Emerging Pulmonary Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis
This project uses advanced heart ultrasound and machine learning to spot early right-heart changes that may predict pulmonary hypertension in people with systemic sclerosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261524 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use advanced echocardiography to measure how the right side of the heart contracts and responds under stress in people with systemic sclerosis. They will combine these new echo measures with standard screening tests and follow patients over time to look for patterns of change. Statistical modeling and machine-learning techniques will be used to define subgroups and trajectories that signal higher future risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The goal is to create objective, noninvasive markers that could flag patients earlier than current methods.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with systemic sclerosis who can come for echocardiograms and follow-up visits, especially those without a current diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients who already have advanced pulmonary arterial hypertension or severe irreversible right-heart failure are unlikely to gain direct benefit from early-detection methods focused on future risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could find people at high risk for pulmonary hypertension earlier so treatment can begin sooner and potentially improve outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work, including by this team, has shown early right-ventricle changes detectable by echocardiography, but existing screening algorithms still have limited accuracy so the approach is promising but not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mukherjee, Monica — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Mukherjee, Monica
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.