Carcinoembryonic antigen levels are increased with pulmonary output in pulmonary hypertension due to congenital heart disease

Objective Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a severe complication of congenital heart disease (CHD). Monitoring of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is essential during follow-up. This retrospective study aimed to examine carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as an additional marker for evaluation by investigating the correlation between CEA levels and hemodynamics in CHD-PAH. Methods Seventy-six patients with CHD-PAH (mean PAP [mPAP] >25 mmHg and PVR >3 Wood units, group A), 71 patients with CHD and pulmonary hypertension (CHD-PH, mPAP >25 mmHg and PVR <= 3 Wood units, group B), and 102 patients with CHD without PH (mPAP <= 25 mmHg, group C) were enrolled. Serum CEA levels and the relationships between CEA levels and hemodynamic data were assessed. Results Mean serum CEA levels were 1.99 +/- 1.61, 2.44 +/- 1.82, and 1.58 +/- 1.07 ng/mL, mPAP was 58.66 +/- 20.21, 30.2 +/- 4.83, and 17.31 +/- 4.51 mmHg, and PVR was 10.12 +/- 7.01, 2.19 +/- 0.56, and 2.2 +/- 1.1 Wood units in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Mean pulmonary output (PO) was 7.24 +/- 3.07, 15.79 +/- 5.49, 10.18 +/- 4.72 L/minute, respectively. CEA levels were positively correlated with PO and negatively correlated with PVR in all of the patients. Conclusion CEA levels are increased with PO and decreased with PVR in CHD-PH.