Portosystemic Shunt-associated Pulmonary Hypertension Multi-center Prospective Cohort Study

March 13, 2026 updated by: Chinese Pulmonary Vascular Disease Research Group
This study aims to establish a multi-center registry cohort of portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension, with the goal of clarifying the epidemiology, clinical features, phenotypic classification, response to targeted therapy, and prognostic outcomes in patients with portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

Portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension is defined as a condition of abnormal pulmonary hemodynamics resulting from congenital or acquired portosystemic shunts. This clinical entity is common and presents with highly heterogeneous hemodynamic profiles, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, post-capillary pulmonary hypertension, and high-output pulmonary hypertension. Currently, no dedicated cohorts exist for this specific population, and targeted clinical data are lacking. Even for portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH), a more extensively studied subtype, previous studies in East Asian populations have primarily relied on small, single-center retrospective cohorts. Therefore, this study aims to establish a multi-center registry cohort of portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension, with the goal of clarifying the epidemiology, clinical features, phenotypic classification, response to targeted therapy, and prognostic outcomes, thereby providing an evidence-based foundation for developing tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this population.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
300

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

patients with portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age ≥ 18 years.
  2. Diagnosis of Portosystemic Shunts:Imaging evidence suggestive of portosystemic shunts (congenital or acquired) or unequivocal clinical signs of portal hypertension (e.g., splenomegaly, varices).

  3. Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension (PH):

    • Confirmed by Right Heart Catheterization (RHC): mPAP > 20 mmHg; OR
    • Highly suspected by Echocardiography: Peak TRV > 3.4 m/s or compliant with ESC/ERS guidelines for high probability of PH (Note: RHC is encouraged for all enrolled patients).
  4. Signed informed consent and willingness to strictly adhere to the follow-up schedule.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. PH caused by other reasons
  2. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeding the Milan criteria.
  3. Active extrahepatic malignancy.
  4. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement within the previous month.
  5. Pregnancy or lactation.
  6. Participation in other interventional clinical trials (drug or device) within the last 3 months.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical worsening
Time Frame: Up to 24 months
The rate of clinical worsening during the follow-up period, which is a composite endpoint comprising all-cause death, decline in exercise capacity [defined as a ≥15% reduction in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) compared with baseline], deterioration in World Health Organization (WHO) functional class, and non-elective hospitalizations for pulmonary hypertension (due to worsening heart failure or initiation of parenteral prostanoids).
Up to 24 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline in model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12, and Month 24
The MELD score is a reliable measure of mortality risk in patients with end-stage liver disease, calculated using serum bilirubin, serum creatinine, and the international normalized ratio (INR). The total score ranges from 6 to 40. Higher scores indicate more severe hepatic impairment and worse prognosis in patients with portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension. The change in MELD score from baseline will be evaluated at each specified follow-up visit.
Baseline, Month 12, and Month 24
Change from baseline in Child-Pugh Score
Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12, and Month 24
The Child-Pugh score assesses the severity and prognosis of chronic liver disease based on five clinical measures: total bilirubin, serum albumin, prothrombin time (INR), ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy. The total score ranges from 5 to 15, where 5-6 indicates Class A (well-compensated), 7-9 indicates Class B (significant functional compromise), and 10-15 indicates Class C (decompensated). Higher scores represent worse liver function. The change in the total Child-Pugh score from baseline will be reported.
Baseline, Month 12, and Month 24
Listing for or receipt of liver transplant or lung transplant
Time Frame: Up to 24 months
This measure assesses the time elapsed from study enrollment to the first documented occurrence of a transplant-related event due to the progression of portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension. A transplant-related event is strictly defined as either being officially placed on an active waiting list for a liver or lung transplant, or the actual surgical receipt of a liver or lung transplant. The time to whichever event occurs first will be recorded.
Up to 24 months
Initiation or escalation of oral pulmonary hypertension (PH)-targeted therapy
Time Frame: Up to 24 months
This measure assesses the time elapsed from study enrollment to the first documented initiation or escalation of oral targeted therapy for portosystemic shunt-associated pulmonary hypertension. "Initiation or escalation" is strictly defined as the sequential addition of a new class of oral PH-targeted medication. This encompasses the clinical transition from no PH therapy to oral monotherapy, from monotherapy to double combination therapy, or from double to triple combination therapy. Dose increases of pre-existing oral medications are excluded from this definition.
Up to 24 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Chinese Pulmonary Vascular Disease Research Group

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2031

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 1, 2031

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 8, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 13, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 19, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 19, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 13, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • PROSPECT

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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