A global view of pulmonary hypertension

Rapid Onset Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension: A Case Report with a Review of Echocardiographic Parameters

Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is an emerging issue. The prognosis in PHT is usually poor, independently from the etiology, with progressive right ventricle failure. Despite right Heart Catheterism is the gold standard for diagnosis of PHT, echocardiography provides important information about prognosis and is helpful in both follow-up and first evaluation of PHT patients, showing a good correlation with invasively measured parameters by right heart catheterization. However, it is important to understand the limits of this method, particularly in some settings, where transthoracic echocardiography has shown a lack of accuracy. In this case report we documented a case of rapid onset (3 months) idiopathic PHT and we provided a critical analysis of echocardiographic role in PHT.

Parasitic lung diseases

Parasitic lung diseases are caused by a number of parasites as a result of transient passage in the lung or as a result of an immunologic reaction. The clinical presentation may be in the form of focal or cystic lesions, pleural effusion or diffuse pulmonary infiltrates. With increasing globalisation, it is important to consider parasitic infections in the differential diagnosis of lung diseases. This is particularly important since early identification and prompt therapy result in full cure of these conditions. In this review, we summarise the most common parasitic lung diseases.

Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis of Shufeiya Recipe in the Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension

Objective

This study is aimed at exploring the molecular mechanism of Shufeiya recipe in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) using network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis.

Methods

Active components and their target proteins in the recipe were screened using the TCMSP database. PH-related core proteins were screened using GeneCards, STRING database, and Cytoscape-v3.8.2. Common proteins were obtained by intersection of the target proteins of these recipe active components and pH-related core proteins. Rx64 4.0.2 software was used to perform GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on the common proteins to obtain pathway-enriched proteins, and then core enriched proteins were further screened. We analyzed the relationship between the active components and pathway-enriched proteins using Cytoscape-v3.8.2. AutoDock Vina was used to dock their core proteins into the components.

Results

Shufeiya recipe contained 67 active components. 61 common proteins of the target proteins of the active components and PH-related core proteins were obtained. The treatment involved both functional and pathway regulations. The core pathway-enriched proteins were prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PTGS2), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1), and their binding energies to the corresponding components were all less than -5 kJ•mol-1.

Conclusion

It was found that the main mechanism might be the active components acting on the core pathway-enriched proteins to regulate related signaling pathways, thereby playing roles in anticoagulation, vasodilation, anti-PASMC proliferation, promotion of PAECs apoptosis, inhibition of oxidative stress, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Left Ventricular Fibrosis Assessment by Native T1, ECV, and LGE in Pulmonary Hypertension Patients

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is emerging as an alternative to right heart catheterization for the evaluation of pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients. The aim of this study was to compare cardiac MRI-derived left ventricle fibrosis indices between pre-capillary PH (PrePH) and isolated post-capillary PH (IpcPH) patients and assess their associations with measures of ventricle function. Global and segmental late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), longitudinal relaxation time (native T1) maps, and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) were compared among healthy controls (N = 25; 37% female; 52 ± 13 years), PH patients (N = 48; 60% female; 60 ± 14 years), and PH subgroups (PrePH: N = 29; 65% female; 55 ± 12 years, IpcPH: N = 19; 53% female; 66 ± 13 years). Cardiac cine measured ejection fraction, end diastolic, and end systolic volumes and were assessed for correlations with fibrosis. LGE mural location was qualitatively assessed on a segmental basis for all subjects. PrePH patients had elevated (apical-, mid-antero-, and mid-infero) septal left ventricle native T1 values (1080 ± 74 ms, 1077 ± 39 ms, and 1082 ± 47 ms) compared to IpcPH patients (1028 ± 53 ms, 1046 ± 36 ms, 1051 ± 44 ms) (p < 0.05). PrePH had a higher amount of insertional point LGE (69%) and LGE patterns characteristic of non-vascular fibrosis (77%) compared to IpcPH (37% and 46%, respectively) (p < 0.05; p < 0.05). Assessment of global LGE, native T1, and ECV burdens did not show a statistically significant difference between PrePH (1.9 ± 2.7%, 1056.2 ± 36.3 ms, 31.2 ± 3.7%) and IpcPH (2.7 ± 2.7%, 1042.4 ± 28.1 ms, 30.7 ± 4.7%) (p = 0.102; p = 0.229 p = 0.756). Global native T1 and ECV were higher in patients (1050.9 ± 33.8 and 31.0 ± 4.1%) than controls (28.2 ± 3.7% and 1012.9 ± 29.4 ms) (p < 0.05). Cardiac MRI-based tissue characterization may augment understanding of cardiac involvement and become a tool to facilitate PH patient classification.

The impact of atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardias on the hemodynamic status of patients with pulmonary hypertension

The impact of atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardias (AF/AT), and their optimal treatment strategy in PH patients is still being discussed. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of AF/AT termination on the hemodynamic parameters in PH patients. We compared patients with pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH group), left ventricular heart failure (LV-HF group), and a Control group. A repeated right heart catheterization was performed during the catheter ablation (CA) procedure. The first measurement was done in arrhythmia, the second after the sinus rhythm (SR) was restored. High frequency atrial stimulation was used to simulate AT in patients without arrhythmia presence at the time of the CA. The variation of pressure parameters in PH patients did not differ significantly from the Controls. There was a significant increase in the right ventricle pressure after the SR restoration in the LV-HF group compared to the Controls and PH group (+4 vs. -2 vs. -3 mmHg, p < 0.05). The cardiac index (CI) variation was not significant when compared between the study groups. An increase of the CI after the SR restoration was found in those patients with AF (+0.31 l/min/m² [IQR 0.18; 0.58]) in contrast to those patients with organized AT/high frequency atrial stimulation (-0.09 l/min/m², [IQR - 0.45; 0.19]). This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The acute hemodynamic response to arrhythmia termination was not significantly different in the PH patients when compared to the Controls. In contrast to AT/high frequency stimulation, the restoration of SR in AF patients leads to an increased CI, irrespective of the presence or absence of PH.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by the increased pulmonary vascular resistance due to pulmonary vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling. PAH has high disability, high mortality and poor prognosis, which is becoming a more common global health issue. There is currently no drug that can permanently cure PAH patients. The pathogenesis of PAH is still not fully elucidated. However, the role of metabolic theory in the pathogenesis of PAH is becoming clearer, especially mitochondrial metabolism. With the deepening of mitochondrial researches in recent years, more and more studies have shown that the occurrence and development of PAH are closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, redox homeostasis, enhanced glycolysis, and increased reactive oxygen species production, calcium dysregulation, mitophagy, etc. This review will further elucidate the relationship between mitochondrial metabolism and pulmonary vasoconstriction and pulmonary vascular remodeling. It might be possible to explore more comprehensive and specific treatment strategies for PAH by understanding these mitochondrial metabolic mechanisms.

Targeting VEGF-A/VEGFR2 Y949 Signaling-Mediated Vascular Permeability Alleviates Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with increased expression of VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor A) and its receptor, VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor 2), but whether and how activation of VEGF-A signal participates in the pathogenesis of PH is unclear.

METHODS

VEGF-A/VEGFR2 signal activation and VEGFR2 Y949-dependent vascular leak were investigated in lung samples from patients with PH and mice exposed to hypoxia. To study their mechanistic roles in hypoxic PH, we examined right ventricle systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary vasculopathy in mutant mice carrying knock-in of phenylalanine that replaced the tyrosine at residual 949 of VEGFR2 (Vefgr2^Y949F) and mice with conditional endothelial deletion of Vegfr2 after chronic hypoxia exposure.

RESULTS

We show that PH leads to excessive pulmonary vascular leak in both patients and hypoxic mice, and this is because of an overactivated VEGF-A/VEGFR2 Y949 signaling axis. In the context of hypoxic PH, activation of Yes1 and c-Src and subsequent VE-cadherin phosphorylation in endothelial cells are involved in VEGFR2 Y949-induced vascular permeability. Abolishing VEGFR2 Y949 signaling by Vefgr2^Y949F point mutation was sufficient to prevent pulmonary vascular permeability and inhibit macrophage infiltration and Rac1 activation in smooth muscle cells under hypoxia exposure, thereby leading to alleviated PH manifestations, including muscularization of distal pulmonary arterioles, elevated right ventricle systolic pressure, and right ventricular hypertrophy. It is important that we found that VEGFR2 Y949 signaling in myeloid cells including macrophages was trivial and dispensable for hypoxia-induced vascular abnormalities and PH. In contrast with selective blockage of VEGFR2 Y949 signaling, disruption of the entire VEGFR2 signaling by conditional endothelial deletion of Vegfr2 promotes the development of PH.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the notion that VEGF-A/VEGFR2 Y949-dependent vascular permeability is an important determinant in the pathogenesis of PH and might serve as an attractive therapeutic target pathway for this disease.

Identification of JPX-RABEP1 Pair as an Immune-Related Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Bioinformatics and Experimental Analyses

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a pulmonary vascular disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling and right heart enlargement the pathogenesis of PAH is complicated; no biologic-based therapy is available for the treatment of PAH, but recent studies suggest that inflammatory response and abnormal proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells are the main pathogenic mechanism, while the role of immune-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to systematically analyze immune-related lncRNAs in PAH. Here, we downloaded a publicly available microarray data from PAH and control patients (GSE113439). A total of 243 up-regulated and 203 down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened, and immune-related DEGs were further obtained from ImmPort. The immune-related lncRNAs were obtained by co-expression analysis of immune-related mRNAs. Then, immune-related lncRNAs-mRNAs network including 2 lncRNAs and 6 mRNAs was constructed which share regulatory miRNAs and have significant correlation. Among the lncRNA-mRNA pairs, one pair (JPX-RABEP1) was verified in the validating dataset GSE53408 and PAH mouse model. Furthermore, the immune cell infiltration analysis of the GSE113439 dataset revealed that the JPX-RABEP1 pair may participate in the occurrence and development of PAH through immune cell infiltration. Together, our findings reveal that the lncRNA-mRNA pair JPX-RABEP1 may be a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for PAH.

Deletion of classical transient receptor potential 1, 3 and 6 alters pulmonary vasoconstriction in chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice

Chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (CHPH) is a severe disease that is characterized by increased proliferation and migration of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) leading to pulmonary vascular remodeling. The resulting increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) causes right ventricular hypertrophy and ultimately right heart failure. In addition, increased PVR can also be a consequence of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) under generalized hypoxia. Increased proliferation and migration of PASMCs are often associated with high intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration. Recent publications suggest that Ca²⁺-permeable nonselective classical transient receptor potential (TRPC) proteins-especially TRPC1 and 6-are crucially involved in acute and sustained hypoxic responses and the pathogenesis of CHPH. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the simultaneous deletion of TRPC proteins 1, 3 and 6 protects against CHPH-development and affects HPV in mice. We used a mouse model of chronic hypoxia as well as isolated, ventilated and perfused mouse lungs and PASMC cell cultures. Although right ventricular systolic pressure as well as echocardiographically assessed PVR and right ventricular wall thickness (RVWT) were lower in TRPC1, 3, 6-deficient mice, these changes were not related to a decreased degree of pulmonary vascular muscularization and a reduced proliferation of PASMCs. However, both acute and sustained HPV were almost absent in the TRPC1, 3, 6-deficient mice and their vasoconstrictor response upon KCl application was reduced. This was further validated by myographical experiments. Our data revealed that 1) TRPC1, 3, 6-deficient mice are partially protected against development of CHPH, 2) these changes may be caused by diminished HPV and not an altered pulmonary vascular remodeling.

Pulmonary hypertension associated with cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is frequently associated with cardiovascular surgery and is a common complication that has been observed after surgery utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The purpose of this review is to explain the characteristics of PH, the mechanisms of PH induced by cardiac surgery and CPB, treatments for postoperative PH, and future directions in treating PH induced by cardiac surgery and CPB using up-to-date findings.

METHODS

The PubMed database was utilized to find published articles.

RESULTS

There are many mechanisms that contribute to PH after cardiac surgery and CPB which involve pulmonary vasomotor dysfunction, cyclooxygenase, the thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin pathway, the nitric oxide pathway, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Furthermore, there are several effective treatments for postoperative PH within different types of cardiac surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

By possessing a deep understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to PH after cardiac surgery and CPB, researchers can develop treatments for clinicians to use which target the mechanisms of PH and ultimately reduce and/or eliminate postoperative PH. Additionally, learning about the most up-to-date studies regarding treatments can allow clinicians to choose the best treatments for patients who are undergoing cardiac surgery and CPB.

Long-Term Follow-up of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension: Clinical Features and Survival Outcomes of the Pan Africa Pulmonary Hypertension Cohort (PAPUCO)

Background

Data characterizing risk factors and long-term outcome studies on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated pulmonary hypertension (PH) in Africa are lacking.

Methods

The Pan African Pulmonary Hypertension Cohort, a multinational registry of 254 consecutive patients diagnosed with PH (97% of African descent) from 9 centers in 4 African countries was implemented. We compared baseline characteristics and 3-year survival of an HIV-infected cohort newly diagnosed with PH (PH/HIV+) to an HIV-uninfected cohort with PH (PH/HIV-).

Results

One hundred thirty-four participants with PH completed follow up (47 PH/HIV+ and 87 PH/HIV-; age median, 36 versus 44 years; P = .0004). Cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities were similar except for previous tuberculosis (62% versus 18%, P < .0001). Six-minute walk distance (6MWD) <300 meters was common in PH/HIV- (P = .0030), but PH/HIV+ had higher heart (P = .0160) and respiratory (P = .0374) rates. Thirty-six percent of PH/HIV+ and 15% of PH/HIV- presented with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (P = .0084), whereas 36% of PH/HIV+ and 72% of PH/HIV- exhibited PH due to left heart disease (PHLHD) (P = .0009). Pulmonary hypertension due to lung diseases and hypoxia (PHLD) was frequent in PH/HIV+ (36% versus 15%) but did not reach statistical significance. Human immunodeficiency virus-associated PAH tended to have a poorer survival rate compared with PHLHD/PHLD in HIV-infected patients.

Conclusions

The PH/HIV + patients were younger and commonly had previous tuberculosis compared to PH/HIV- patients. Despite a better 6MWD at presentation, they had more signs and symptoms of early onset heart failure and a worse survival rate. Early echocardiography assessment should be performed in HIV-infected patients with history of tuberculosis who present with signs and symptoms of heart failure or posttuberculosis lung disease.

Association between maternal family history of hypertension and preterm birth: modification by noise exposure and multivitamin intake

OBJECTIVE

To measure the effect of maternal family history of hypertension on preterm birth (PTB) and to identify factors that modified this association.

METHODS

A case-control study was nested in a prospective cohort of the entire pregnant population in Wuhan, China, from 2011 to 2013. Home-visit interviews were scheduled for all PTBs and their controls, to collect extensive information on maternal exposures to behavioral, environmental, and intergenerational risk factors of PTB. The effects of maternal family history of hypertension on PTB were measured by logistic regression analyses, controlling for potential confounders. Potential effect modifiers were examined using stratified analyses.

RESULTS

There were 2393 PTBs and 4263 full-term births out of all eligible births. A positive association was observed between maternal family history of hypertension and PTB, after adjusted for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio: 1.17 [1.03, 1.33]). A higher effect was observed when mothers were exposed to certain noise during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio: 1.37 [1.14, 1.65]) and/or when they did not take multivitamins during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio: 1.46 [1.20, 1.78]), whereas, this association was weaker and no longer significant when mothers took multivitamins during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio: 1.00 [0.84, 1.19]) and/or when they were not exposed to certain noise during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio: 1.01 [0.85, 1.12]). The modification effect from maternal multivitamin intake was significant on both spontaneous and medically indicated PTBs, and the modification effect from maternal exposure to certain noise was only significant on spontaneous PTB.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased PTB risk was observed for pregnant women with a family history of hypertension in Wuhan, China. This effect was stronger when pregnant women did not take multivitamin and/or exposed to certain noise during pregnancy, than those who took multivitamin and/or unexposed to certain noise.

Effects of remote haemodynamic-guided heart failure management in patients with different subtypes of pulmonary hypertension: insights from the MEMS-HF study

AIM

The CardioMEMS European Monitoring Study for Heart Failure (MEMS-HF) investigated safety and efficacy of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP)-guided remote patient management (RPM) in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III outpatients with at least one heart failure hospitalization (HFH) during the previous 12 months. This pre-specified subgroup analysis investigated whether RPM effects depended on presence and subtype of pulmonary hypertension (PH).

METHODS AND RESULTS

In 106/234 MEMS-HF participants, Swan-Ganz catheter tracings obtained during sensor implant were available for off-line manual analysis jointly performed by two experts. Patients were classified into subgroups according to current PH definitions. Isolated post-capillary PH (IpcPH) and combined post- and pre-capillary PH (CpcPH) were present in 38 and 36 patients, respectively, whereas 31 patients had no PH. Clinical characteristics were comparable between subgroups, but among patients with PH pulmonary vascular resistance was higher (p = 0.029) and pulmonary artery compliance lower (p = 0.003) in patients with CpcPH. During 12 months of PAP-guided RPM, all PAPs declined in IpcPH and CpcPH subgroups (all p < 0.05), whereas only mean and diastolic PAP decreased in patients without PH (both p < 0.05). Improvements in post- versus pre-implant HFH rates were similar in CpcPH (0.639 events/patient-year; hazard ratio [HR] 0.37) and IpcPH (0.72 events/patient-year; HR 0.45) patients. Participants without PH benefited most (0.26 events/patient-year; HR 0.17, p = 0.04 vs. IpcPH/CpcPH patients). Quality of life and NYHA class improved significantly in all subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Outpatients with NYHA class III symptoms with at least one HFH during 1 year pre-implant benefitted significantly from PAP-guided RPM during post-implant follow-up irrespective of presence or subtype of PH at baseline.

Effectiveness and safety of inspiratory muscle training in patients with pulmonary hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a simple and well-tolerated physical therapy that increases respiratory muscle strength and relieving the degree of dyspnea and fatigue. Therefore, it may be used as a transitional modality before exercise training or as a specific physical therapy intervention for those who are diagnosed with respiratory muscle weakness. However, the current evidence on IMT in pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients is inconclusive. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the current role of IMT in this group of patients.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched through May 2022. Trials examining the feasibility and effectiveness of IMT in PH patients. Outcome measures included adverse events, training adherence and compliance, maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), forced vital capacity (FVC%), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%), FEV1/FVC%, 6 min walk distance (6MWD), Peak VO2, dyspnea, and fatigue perception after the IMT training program. Only randomized controlled trials were included. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for controlled trials was adopted to assess study quality. Statistical heterogeneity was evaluated with the chi-square test and I 2 statistic. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated.

Results

We ultimately identified four studies that met the criteria. These studies comprised 80 patients with 16 males and 64 females. The mean age was 53.25. The main types of PH were group I (pulmonary arterial hypertension, 95%) and group IV (chronic thromboembolic PH, 5%). No severe adverse events were reported in the included studies. IMT had a significant effect on improving MIP (18.89 cmH2O; 95% CI: 9.43-28.35, P < 0.001) and MEP (8.06 cmH2O; 95% CI: 2.39-13.73; P = 0.005), increase in the 6MWD (30.16 m; 95% CI: 1.53-58.79; P = 0.04). No significant improvement was found in pulmonary function (P > 0.05), and uncertain effect on the quality of life (QoL) score.

Conclusion

Based on currently limited evidence, IMT is an effective physical therapy for increasing respiratory muscle function and exercise capacity, but still a lack of evidence on dyspnea and fatigue levels, pulmonary function, and QoL in PH patients. There are reasons to believe that IMT is a promising intervention in PH patients, enriching rehabilitation options and serving as a bridge before formal exercise training. It is expected that IMT will play an important role in the future clinical pathway of physical therapy for this group of patients.

Systematic review registration

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/logout.php], identifier [CRD42022335972].

Does pulmonary hypertension affect early-term outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery?

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effect of preoperative pulmonary hypertension (PHT) on postoperative early mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

A total of 1107 patients undergoing elective first-time off-pump CABG between January 2011 and April 2022 were included in this retrospective observational cohort study. The patients were categorized into two groups according to their preoperative systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) values. The PHT group (n=104) consisted of patients with a SPAP value >30 mmHg, while the non-PHT group (n=1003) consisted of patients with a SPAP value ≤30 mmHg. Patients' preoperative demographics and clinical features, operative data, and postoperative outcomes were recorded and then compared between the groups.

RESULTS

In the PHT group, the median age was significantly higher (66 vs. 63 years, p=0.001) and the median left ventricular ejection fraction level was significantly lower (45 vs. 50%, p=0.045) as compared to the non-PHT group. Additionally, the PHT group included a significantly greater percentage of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (22.1 vs. 7.4%, p=0.019). As perioperative early-term outcomes, complications, and mortality were considered, the groups were statistically similar, and there were no significant differences between the groups, except for the development of atrial fibrillation.

CONCLUSION

For the first time in the literature, this study revealed that mild PHT (mean SPAP=38.9±8.7 mmHg) did not significantly affect early-term outcomes of off-pump CABG.

The role of tolvaptan in pulmonary hypertension: A retrospective study

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe form of pulmonary vascular disease that can lead to right heart failure (RHF). Nearly 2-thirds of patients with PH die within 5 years. Studies suggest that a new diuretic medication, called tolvaptan (TLV), can be used to treat PH. However, there is still insufficient evidence to confirm its effectiveness. Therefore, we investigated the role of TLV in patients with PH. This retrospective study included 73 patients with PH hospitalized in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between November 2019 and March 2022. All patients received 7.5 to 15.0 mg of TLV for 3 to 21 days starting at admission, in addition to targeted drugs and traditional diuretic therapy. The outcomes included the blood pressure, urine and water intake volumes, electrolyte concentrations, and renal, liver, and cardiac function indexes before and after TLV treatment. In addition, we assessed the clinical symptoms and adverse reactions during the treatment. After TLV treatment, the water intake and urine volumes significantly increased, and body weight, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure significantly decreased. Total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, and serum uric acid (UA) levels after TLV treatment were significantly lower than before treatment. After TLV treatment, dyspnea significantly improved in 71 of 73 patients, and lower limb edema disappeared in 42 of 53 patients. No obvious adverse reactions occurred during the TLV treatment period. These results suggest that adding TLV to targeted drug and traditional diuretic therapies is effective for patients with PH. However, more data are required to support these findings.

Recent Advances of Organ-on-a-Chip in Cancer Modeling Research

Although many studies have focused on oncology and therapeutics in cancer, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Due to the unclear molecular mechanism and complex in vivo microenvironment of tumors, it is challenging to reveal the nature of cancer and develop effective therapeutics. Therefore, the development of new methods to explore the role of heterogeneous TME in individual patients' cancer drug response is urgently needed and critical for the effective therapeutic management of cancer. The organ-on-chip (OoC) platform, which integrates the technology of 3D cell culture, tissue engineering, and microfluidics, is emerging as a new method to simulate the critical structures of the in vivo tumor microenvironment and functional characteristics. It overcomes the failure of traditional 2D/3D cell culture models and preclinical animal models to completely replicate the complex TME of human tumors. As a brand-new technology, OoC is of great significance for the realization of personalized treatment and the development of new drugs. This review discusses the recent advances of OoC in cancer biology studies. It focuses on the design principles of OoC devices and associated applications in cancer modeling. The challenges for the future development of this field are also summarized in this review. This review displays the broad applications of OoC technique and has reference value for oncology development.

Management of pregnant patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pregnant individuals with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have significantly high risks of maternal and perinatal mortality. Profound changes in plasma volume, cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance can all increase the strain being placed on the right ventricle, leading to heart failure and cardiovascular collapse. Given the complex network of opposing physiological changes, strict contraception and reduction of hemodynamic fluctuations during pregnancy are important methods of minimizing the risk of maternal mortality and improving the outcomes following pregnancy. In this review, we discuss the recent research progress into pre-conception management and the various therapeutic strategies for pregnant individuals with PAH.

An organ-on-chip model of pulmonary arterial hypertension identifies a BMPR2-SOX17-prostacyclin signalling axis

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an unmet clinical need. The lack of models of human disease is a key obstacle to drug development. We present a biomimetic model of pulmonary arterial endothelial-smooth muscle cell interactions in PAH, combining natural and induced bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) dysfunction with hypoxia to induce smooth muscle activation and proliferation, which is responsive to drug treatment. BMPR2- and oxygenation-specific changes in endothelial and smooth muscle gene expression, consistent with observations made in genomic and biochemical studies of PAH, enable insights into underlying disease pathways and mechanisms of drug response. The model captures key changes in the pulmonary endothelial phenotype that are essential for the induction of SMC remodelling, including a BMPR2-SOX17-prostacyclin signalling axis and offers an easily accessible approach for researchers to study pulmonary vascular remodelling and advance drug development in PAH.

Pulmonary hypertension mortality trends in United States 1999-2019

PURPOSE

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a heterogenous, often progressive disorder leading to right heart failure and death. Previous analyses show stable PH mortality rates from 1980 to 2001 but increasing from 2001 to 2010 especially among women and non-Hispanic (NH) Black. This study seeks to identify recent trends in PH mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2019.

METHODS

Mortality rates among individuals more than or equal to 15 years of age were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiology Research (WONDER) database. ICD-10 codes were used to identify individuals with PH.

RESULTS

Between 1999 and 2019, PH was included as a cause on 429,105 recorded deaths. The average age-adjusted PH mortality rate was 7.9 per 100,000 individuals and increased by 1.9% per year. Higher age-adjusted mortality rates were experienced by females and NH Black persons. The crude mortality rate was 105.4 per 100,000 among those decedents 85 or older. From 1999 to 2019, mortality in PH and left heart disease co-occurrence increased at nearly double the annual rate of the overall PH group.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite therapeutic advances for selected PH subgroups, the overall age-adjusted PH mortality rate increased significantly from 1999 to 2019 and previously reported racial disparities have persisted. These findings emphasize the need for additional study to improve outcomes in PH.

Predictors of Post-induction Hypotension for Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension

Purpose The purpose is to identify predictors of post-induction hypotension (PIH) during general anesthesia in a population of patients with varying degrees of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Methods This is a single-center, retrospective, observational study of perioperative data obtained via electronic health records from patients with PH undergoing surgery over a five-year period. Baseline patient characteristics, peri-induction management variables, and pre-induction mean arterial pressure (MAP) were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests, Pearson's chi-squared tests, and logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for PIH. We further assessed the relationship between PH and PIH using propensity score matching. Primary outcomes include a percent decrease in post-induction blood pressure as well as a post-induction nadir with a threshold of 55 mm Hg. Results Eight hundred fifty-seven patients in the cohort stratified by severity of PH reveal that advanced age (p < 0.001), higher BMI (P = 0.002), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (P = 0.001), and renal and cardiac comorbidities (P < 0.001) are associated with PH severity. None of our tested parameters were significantly predictive for PIH in patients with PH. Right heart failure was found to be weakly and non-significantly predictive of PIH in patients with PH (P = 0.052, odds ratio [OR] = 1.116). Diabetes (P = 0.007, OR = 0.919) and maintenance of spontaneous ventilation (P = 0.012, OR = 0.925) were associated with decreased rates of PIH. Conclusion Hypotension after induction of general anesthesia in patients with PH is a serious problem, yet statistically significant risk factors were not identified. History of diabetes and preservation of spontaneous ventilation had a significant but weak effect of decreasing rates of PIH. This pilot study was limited by retrospective design and warrants further analysis with a prospective cohort.

Srolo Bzhtang reduces inflammation and vascular remodeling via suppression of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Srolo Bzhtang (SBT), which consists of Solms-laubachia eurycarpa, Bergenia purpurascens, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and lac secreted by Laccifer lacca Kerr (Lacciferidae Cockerell), is a well-known traditional Tibetan medicinal formula and was documented to cure "lung-heat" syndrome by eliminating "chiba" in the ancient Tibetan medical work Four Medical Tantras (Rgyud bzhi). Clinically, it is a therapy for pulmonary inflammatory disorders, such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, whether and how SBT participates in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is still unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We aimed to determine the role of SBT in attenuating pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular remodeling caused by monocrotaline (MCT) and hypoxia. To elucidate the potential mechanism underlying SBT-mediated PAH, we investigated the changes in inflammatory cytokines and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MCT- and hypoxia-induced PAH rat models were used. After administering SBT for four weeks, the rats were tested for hemodynamic indicators, hematological changes, pulmonary arterial morphological changes, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum and lung tissues. Protein expression of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway was determined using western blotting.

RESULTS

SBT reduced pulmonary arterial pressure, vascular remodeling, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines induced by MCT and hypoxia in rats. Furthermore, SBT significantly suppressed the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that SBT alleviates MCT- and hypoxia-induced PAH in rats, which is related to its anti-inflammatory actions involving inhibition of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Sox17 Deficiency Promotes Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension via HGF/c-Met Signaling

BACKGROUND

In large-scale genomic studies, Sox17, an endothelial-specific transcription factor, has been suggested as a putative causal gene of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, its role and molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We investigated the functional impacts and acting mechanisms of impaired Sox17 (SRY-related HMG-box17) pathway in PAH and explored its potential as a therapeutic target.

METHODS

In adult mice, Sox17 deletion in pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs) induced PAH under hypoxia with high penetrance and severity, but not under normoxia.

RESULTS

Key features of PAH, such as hypermuscularization, EC hyperplasia, and inflammation in lung arterioles, right ventricular hypertrophy, and elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, persisted even after long rest in normoxia. Mechanistically, transcriptomic profiling predicted that the combination of Sox17 deficiency and hypoxia activated c-Met signaling in lung ECs. HGF (hepatocyte grow factor), a ligand of c-Met, was upregulated in Sox17-deficient lung ECs. Pharmacologic inhibition of HGF/c-Met signaling attenuated and reversed the features of PAH in both preventive and therapeutic settings. Similar to findings in animal models, Sox17 levels in lung ECs were repressed in 26.7% of PAH patients (4 of 15), while those were robust in all 14 non-PAH controls. HGF levels in pulmonary arterioles were increased in 86.7% of patients with PAH (13 of 15), but none of the controls showed that pattern.

CONCLUSIONS

The downregulation of Sox17 levels in pulmonary arterioles increases the susceptibility to PAH, particularly when exposed to hypoxia. Our findings suggest the reactive upregulation of HGF/c-Met signaling as a novel druggable target for PAH treatment.

Single-cell transcriptomics reveals skewed cellular communication and phenotypic shift in pulmonary artery remodeling

A central feature of progressive vascular remodeling is altered smooth muscle cell (SMC) homeostasis; however, the understanding of how different cell populations contribute to this process is limited. Here, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing to provide insight into cellular composition changes within isolated pulmonary arteries (PAs) from pulmonary arterial hypertension and donor lungs. Our results revealed that remodeling skewed the balanced communication network between immune and structural cells, in particular SMCs. Comparative analysis with murine PAs showed that human PAs harbored heterogeneous SMC populations with an abundant intermediary cluster displaying a gradient transition between SMCs and adventitial fibroblasts. Transcriptionally distinct SMC populations were enriched in specific biological processes and could be differentiated into 4 major clusters: oxygen sensing (enriched in pericytes), contractile, synthetic, and fibroblast-like. End-stage remodeling was associated with phenotypic shift of preexisting SMC populations and accumulation of synthetic SMCs in neointima. Distinctly regulated genes in clusters built nonredundant regulatory hubs encompassing stress response and differentiation regulators. The current study provides a blueprint of cellular and molecular changes on a single-cell level that are defining the pathological vascular remodeling process.

Pulmonary Hypertension Definition, Classification, and Epidemiology in Asia

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is caused by a range of conditions and is important to recognize as it is associated with increased mortality. Pulmonary arterial hypertension refers to a group of PH subtypes affecting the distal pulmonary arteries for which effective treatment is available. The hemodynamic definition of pulmonary arterial hypertension has recently changed which may lead to greater case recognition and earlier treatment. The prevalence of specific PH etiologies may differ depending on geographic region. PH caused by left heart disease is the most common cause of PH worldwide. In Asia, there is greater proportion of congenital heart disease- and connective tissue disease- (especially systemic lupus erythematosus) related PH relative to the West. This review summarizes the definition, classification, and epidemiology of PH as it pertains to Asia.

An Energy-Efficient Bridge-to-Digital Converter for Implantable Pressure Monitoring Systems

This paper presents an energy-efficient, duty-cycled, and spinning excitation bridge-to-digital converter (BDC) designed for implantable pressure sensing systems. The circuit provides the measure of the pulmonary artery pressure that is particularly relevant for the monitoring of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension patients. The BDC is made of a piezoresistive pressure sensor and a readout integrated circuit (IC) that comprises an instrumentation amplifier (IA) followed by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The proposed design spins both the bridge excitation and the ADC's sampling input voltages simultaneously and exploits duty cycling to reduce the static power consumption of the bridge sensor and IA while cancelling the IA's offset and 1/f noise at the same time. The readout IC has been designed and fabricated in a standard 180-nm CMOS process and achieves 8.4 effective number of bits (ENOB) at 1 kHz sampling rate while drawing 0.53 μA current from a 1.2 V supply. The BDC, built with the readout IC and a differential pressure sensor having 5 k Ω bridge resistances, achieves 0.44 mmHg resolution in a 270 mmHg pressure range at 1 ms conversion time. The current consumption of the bridge sensor by employing duty cycling is reduced by 99.8% thus becoming 0.39 μA from a 1.2 V supply. The total conversion energy of the pressure sensing system is 1.1 nJ, and achieves a figure-of-merit (FoM) of 3.3 pJ/conversion, which both represent the state of the art.

[Functional characterization of patients with isolated post-capillary or combined post-capillary and pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension]

BACKGROUND

 The World Conference on PH recommended differentiation of isolated postcapillary (Ipc) and combined post- and precapillary (Cpc) PH according to pulmonary vascular resistance alone. The aim of this study was the haemodynamic and functional characterization of patients diagnosed IpcPH and CpcPH according to the current recommendation of the latest World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) with an exploratory data analysis.

METHODS

 We evaluated all consecutive patients presenting at the PH outpatient clinic of Mission Medical Hospital from 2008-2015. All received a complete diagnostic work-up according to the guidelines. We analyzed data of patients with mPAP ≥ 25 mmHg and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP  > 15 mmHg. We compared anthropometric, hemodynamic and functional data of six-minute walking test (6 MWT), cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and echocardiography of patients with IpcPH and CpcPH.

RESULTS

 Out of 726 patients 58 showed a postcapillary PH: IpcPH: n = 20; CpcPH: n = 38. Patients with IpcPH had a significantly lower mPAP and PVR than patients with CpcPH. Cardiac index was lower in the Cpc-PH group compared to the IpcPH group. Functional capacity did not differ. CpcPH patients showed a higher right/left atrial area (RA/LA)-ratio.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Although CpcPH patients showed higher values of mPAP and PVR functional capacity was not worse than in patients with IpcPH. In patients with PH due to left heart disease an elevated RA/LA ratio may indicate CpcPH and invasive diagnostic work-up should be considered.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients Undergoing Right Heart Catheterizations in Community Hospitals

Background

Recognition of precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) has significant implications for patient management. However, the low a priori chance to find this rare condition in community hospitals may create a barrier against performing a right heart catheterization (RHC). This could result in misclassification of PH and delayed diagnosis/treatment of precapillary PH. Therefore, we investigated patient characteristics and echocardiographic parameters associated with the decision whether to perform an RHC in patients with incident PH in 12 Dutch community hospitals.

Methods and Results

In total, 275 patients were included from the OPTICS (Optimizing PH Diagnostic Network in Community Hospitals) registry, a prospective cohort study with patients with incident PH; 157 patients were diagnosed with RHC (34 chronic thromboembolic PH, 38 pulmonary arterial hypertension, 81 postcapillary PH, 4 miscellaneous PH), while 118 patients were labeled as probable postcapillary PH without hemodynamic confirmation. Multivariable analysis showed that older age (>60 years), left ventricular diastolic dysfunction grade 2–3, left atrial dilatation were independently associated with the decision to not perform an RHC, while presence of prior venous thromboembolic events or pulmonary arterial hypertension‐associated conditions, right atrial dilatation, and tricuspid regurgitation velocity ≥3.7 m/s favor an RHC performance.

Conclusions

Older age and echocardiographic parameters of left heart disease were independently associated with the decision to not perform an RHC, while presence of prior venous thromboembolic events or pulmonary arterial hypertension‐associated conditions, right atrial dilation, and severe PH on echocardiography favored an RHC performance. As such, especially elderly patients may be at an increased risk of diagnostic delays and missed diagnoses of treatable precapillary PH, which could lead to a worse prognosis.

Molecular Pathways in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a multifactorial, chronic disease process that leads to pulmonary arterial endothelial dysfunction and smooth muscular hypertrophy, resulting in impaired pliability and hemodynamics of the pulmonary vascular system, and consequent right ventricular dysfunction. Existing treatments target limited pathways with only modest improvement in disease morbidity, and little or no improvement in mortality. Ongoing research has focused on the molecular basis of pulmonary arterial hypertension and is going to be important in the discovery of new treatments and genetic pathways involved. This review focuses on the molecular pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Emerging phenotypes of pulmonary hypertension associated with COPD: a field guide

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common complication of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), but clinical presentation is variable and not always 'proportional' to the severity of the obstructive disease. This review aims to analyze heterogeneity in clinical features of PH-COPD, providing a guide for diagnosis and management according to phenotypes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent works have focused on severe PH in COPD, providing insights into the characteristics of patients with predominantly vascular disease. The recently recognized 'pulmonary vascular phenotype', characterized by severe PH and mild airflow obstruction with severe hypoxemia, has markedly worse prognosis and may be a candidate for large trials with pulmonary vasodilators. In severe PH, which might be best described by a pulmonary vascular resistance threshold, there may also be a need to distinguish patients with mild COPD (pulmonary vascular phenotype) from those with severe COPD ('Severe COPD-Severe PH' phenotype).

SUMMARY

Correct phenotyping is key to appropriate management of PH associated with COPD. The lack of evidence regarding the use of pulmonary vasodilators in PH-COPD may be due to the existence of previously unrecognized phenotypes with different responses to therapy. This review offers the clinician caring for patients with COPD and PH a phenotype-focused approach to diagnosis and management, aimed at personalized care.

Impact of borderline pulmonary hypertension due to left heart failure on mortality in a multicenter registry study: A 3-year survivorship analysis

Background

Patients with left heart failure (LHF) are often associated with the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) which leads to an increased risk of death. Recently, the diagnostic standard for PH has changed from mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg to >20 mmHg. Nonetheless, the effect of borderline PH (mPAP: 21–24 mmHg) on the prognosis of LHF patients is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between borderline PH and 3-year clinical outcomes in LHF patients.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study was done for LHF patients who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) between January 2013 and November 2016. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality; the secondary outcome was rehospitalization.

Results

Among 344 patients, 62.5% were identified with a proportion of PH (mPAP ≥ 25), 10.8% with borderline PH (21–24), and 26.7% with non-PH (≤20), respectively. Multivariable Cox analysis revealed that borderline PH patients had a higher adjusted mortality risk (HR = 3.822; 95% CI: 1.043–13.999; p = 0.043) than non-PH patients. When mPAP was treated as a continuous variable, the hazard ratio for death increased progressively with increasing mPAP starting at 20 mmHg (HR = 1.006; 95% CI: 1.001–1.012). There was no statistically significant difference in adjusted rehospitalization between borderline PH and non-PH patients (HR = 1.599; 95% CI: 0.833–3.067; p = 0.158).

Conclusions

Borderline PH is independently related to increased 3-year mortality in LHF patients. Future research is needed to evaluate whether more close monitoring, and managing with an intensifier improves clinical outcomes in borderline PH caused by LHF.

Clinical trials registration

www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02164526.

The prevalence and survival of pulmonary hypertension due to left heart failure: A retrospective analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort study

Background

Pulmonary hypertension due to left heart failure (PH-LHF) is currently the most common form of pulmonary hypertension (PH) encountered in clinical practice. Despite significant advances that have improved our understanding of PH-LHF over the past two decades, the mortality is still high in recent decades. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and survival of patients with PH-LHF, and explored the potential risk factors which may predict the prognosis of PH-LHF.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of left heart failure (LHF) patients who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) between January 2013 and November 2016 was performed. The endpoint was all-cause mortality. Follow-ups were performed every 6 months ± 2 weeks.

Results

A total of 480 patients with LHF were enrolled, with 215 (44.8%) having PH-LHF. The proportion of PH-LHF was significantly lower in coronary artery disease (CAD) group than without CAD (41.3 vs. 57.8%, p = 0.003). However, multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that CAD was not associated with PH-LHF (Adjusted OR: 1.055, 95% CI: 0.576 – 1.935, p = 0.862). 75 of 215 (34.9%) patients with PH-LHF died during a median follow-up period of 84.6 months. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 8-year survival rates of all PH-LHF patients were 94.3, 76.9, 65.8, and 60.2%, respectively. New York Heart Association Functional Class (NYHA FC), hemoglobin, and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) were associated with mortality of PH-LHF in multivariate Cox analysis.

Conclusion

PH is commonly identified in patients with LHF, with a prevalence of approximately 45%. The mortality is still high in patients with PH-LHF. NYHA FC, hemoglobin, and sPAP are independent risk predictors of mortality for PH-LHF. These findings may be useful for risk stratification in future clinical trial enrollment.

Decreased low‑density lipoprotein and the presence of pulmonary arterial hypertension among newly diagnosed drug‑naïve patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: D‑dimer as a mediator

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The present study investigated the relationship between coagulation and changes in lipid parameters in newly-diagnosed patients with SLE in the presence of PAH and whether the coagulation parameters were mediators between lipids and PAH presence. A total of 301 subjects scheduled for new-onset drug-naïve SLE were consecutively enrolled. Baseline data for patients without PAH and with PAH were gathered and compared. Coagulation and lipid parameters were compared across patients without lipid regulating and anticoagulation medications. Multivariable logistic regression model was applied to examine potential predictors of PAH in SLE. The relationships between them were examined using Spearman's correlation analysis. The relationship between coagulation index and lipids with SLE-PAH was evaluated using mediation analysis. Female patients accounted for 88.0% of the 301 subjects, and the average age was 32 years (range, 25-45 years). A total of 40 patients (13.3%) had PAH, and the average pulmonary artery systolic pressure (sPAP) was 55.825±26.67 mmHg. Patients with PAH were older and had higher levels of fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), D-dimer, C-reactive protein, lower levels of complement 3, complement 4 and 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 compared with the non-PAH group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age and D-dimer were independent predictor factors for PAH. Among patients without lipid regulating and anticoagulation medications, patients in the PAH group had higher levels of D-dimer and FDP, and lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels compared with patients without PAH. There was also a positive relationship between sPAP and D-dimer and FDP, and a negative relationship between sPAP and total cholesterol and LDL. Mediation analysis indicated that 25.61% of the effect of low LDL on PAH presence in systemic lupus erythematosus was mediated by D-dimer. Overall, the effect of low LDL on SLE-PAH appeared to be mediated by D-dimer, which mediated 25.61% of this effect.

Hypoxia in Aging and Aging-Related Diseases: Mechanism and Therapeutic Strategies

As the global aging process continues to lengthen, aging-related diseases (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure) continue to plague the elderly population. Aging is a complex biological process involving multiple tissues and organs and is involved in the development and progression of multiple aging-related diseases. At the same time, some of these aging-related diseases are often accompanied by hypoxia, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and the increased secretion of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Hypoxia seems to play an important role in the process of inflammation and aging, but is often neglected in advanced clinical research studies. Therefore, we have attempted to elucidate the role played by different degrees and types of hypoxia in aging and aging-related diseases and their possible pathways, and propose rational treatment options based on such mechanisms for reference.

Novel p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Inhibitor Reverses Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Rats

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling is strongly implicated in cardiovascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricle (RV) failure. The effects of a newly designed p38 inhibitor, LASSBio-1824, were investigated in experimentally induced PH. Male Wistar rats were exposed to hypoxia and SU5416 (SuHx), and normoxic rats were used as controls. Oral treatment was performed for 14 days with either vehicle or LASSBio-1824 (50 mg/kg). Pulmonary vascular resistance and RV structure and function were assessed by echocardiography and catheterization. Histological, immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis of lung and RV were performed to investigate cardiovascular remodeling and inflammation. Treatment with LASSBio-1824 normalized vascular resistance by attenuating vessel muscularization and endothelial dysfunction. In the heart, treatment decreased RV systolic pressure, hypertrophy and collagen content, improving cardiac function. Protein content of TNF-α, iNOS, phosphorylated p38 and caspase-3 were reduced both in lung vessels and RV tissues after treatment and a reduced activation of transcription factor c-fos was found in cardiomyocytes of treated SuHx rats. Therefore, LASSBio-1824 represents a potential candidate for remodeling-targeted treatment of PH.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Pulmonary Hypertension After Venous Thromboembolism: An Analysis of a Large Health Care Database

Background

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a devastating potential complication of pulmonary embolism, a manifestation of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The incidence of and risk factors for PH in those with prior VTE are poorly characterized.

Methods and Results

International Classification of Diseases ( ICD ) codes from inpatient and outpatient medical claims from MarketScan administrative databases for years 2011 to 2018 were used to identify cases of VTE, comorbidities before the VTE event, and PH occurring subsequent to the VTE event. Cumulative incidence and hazard ratios (HR), and their 95% CI, were calculated. The 170 021 VTE cases included in the analysis were on average (±SD) 57.5±15.8 years old and 50.5% were female. A total of 5943 PH cases accrued over an average follow‐up of 1.94 years. Two years after incident VTE, the cumulative incidence (95% CI) of PH was 3.5% (3.4%–3.7%) overall. It was higher among older individuals, among women (3.9% [3.8%–4.1%]) than men (3.2% [3.0%–3.3%]), and among patients presenting with pulmonary embolism (6.2% [6.0%–6.5%]) than those presenting with deep vein thrombosis only (1.1% [1.0%–1.2%]). Adjusting for age and sex, risk of PH was higher among patients with VTE with underlying comorbidities. Using the Charlson comorbidity index, there was a dose–response relationship, whereby greater scores were associated with increased PH risk (score ≥5 versus 0: HR, (2.50 [2.30–2.71])). When evaluating individual comorbidities, the strongest associations were observed with concomitant heart failure (HR, 2.17 [2.04–2.31]), chronic pulmonary disease (2.01 [1.90–2.14]), and alcohol abuse (1.66 [1.29–2.13]).

Conclusions

In this large, real‐world population of insured people with VTE, 3.5% developed PH in the 2 years following their initial VTE event. Risk was higher among women, with increasing age, and in those with additional comorbidities at the time of the VTE event. These data provide insights into the burden of PH and risk factors for PH among patients with VTE.

Pulmonary Blood Volume Measured by Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Can Help Distinguish Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension

Purpose

To evaluate the correlation between whole lung enhancement (WLE) and pulmonary blood volume (PBV) obtained through dual energy computed tomography pulmonary angiography (DECTPA) and echocardiography-derived systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP).

Methods

Sixty-eight patients who underwent DECTPA were enrolled in the study after giving informed consent. A transthoracic echocardiography was performed for all the subjects within 48 h of their DECTPA study to measure SPAP. The correlation of the two DECTPA-derived parameters, WLE and PBV, with SPAP was assessed. In addition, the predictive strength of these parameters was compared with that of traditional computed tomography (CT) signs of pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Results

The SPAP value showed a moderate correlation with main pulmonary artery (MPA) diameter (r = 0.48, P < 0.001), while having a weak correlation with WLE (r = −0.33, P = 0.007), PBV (r = −0.31, P = 0.01) and MPA/ascending aorta (MPA/AA) ratio (r = 0.26, P = 0.03). On regression analysis, MPA diameter (B ± SE: 1.8 ± 0.6, P = 0.004) and WLE (B ± SE: −0.5 ± 0.3, P = 0.042) had significant association with SPAP. In addition, SPAP ≥30 mmHg was related to the right to left ventricular diameter (RV/LV) ratio [OR (CI 95%): 24.39 (1.3–573.2), P = 0.04] and reversely associated with PBV [OR (CI 95%): 0.96 (0.93–0.98), P = 0.005]. Acquired cutoff value of 83% for PBV showed sensitivity and specificity of 73% to identify SPAP ≥30 mmHg [AUC (CI 95%):0.727 (0.588–0.866), P = 0.008].

Conclusions

Automated postprocessing calculation of iodine distribution analysis by DECTPA could be considered as an adjunctive tool to investigate for PH.

Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute GoDeep: A meta-registry merging deep phenotyping datafrom international PH reference centers

The Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute GoDeep meta-registry is a collaboration of pulmonary hypertension (PH) reference centers across the globe. Merging worldwide PH data in a central meta-registry to allow advanced analysis of the heterogeneity of PH and its groups/subgroups on a worldwide geographical, ethnical, and etiological landscape (ClinTrial. gov NCT05329714). Retrospective and prospective PH patient data (diagnosis based on catheterization; individuals with exclusion of PH are included as a comparator group) are mapped to a common clinical parameter set of more than 350 items, anonymized and electronically exported to a central server. Use and access is decided by the GoDeep steering board, where each center has one vote. As of April 2022, GoDeep comprised 15,742 individuals with 1.9 million data points from eight PH centers. Geographic distribution comprises 3990 enrollees (25%) from America and 11,752 (75%) from Europe. Eighty-nine perecent were diagnosed with PH and 11% were classified as not PH and provided a comparator group. The retrospective observation period is an average of 3.5 years (standard error of the mean 0.04), with 1159 PH patients followed for over 10 years. Pulmonary arterial hypertension represents the largest PH group (42.6%), followed by Group 2 (21.7%), Group 3 (17.3%), Group 4 (15.2%), and Group 5 (3.3%). The age distribution spans several decades, with patients 60 years or older comprising 60%. The majority of patients met an intermediate risk profile upon diagnosis. Data entry from a further six centers is ongoing, and negotiations with >10 centers worldwide have commenced. Using electronic interface-based automated retrospective and prospective data transfer, GoDeep aims to provide in-depth epidemiological and etiological understanding of PH and its various groups/subgroups on a global scale, offering insights for improved management.

The comparative effects of sacubitril/valsartan versus enalapril on pulmonary hypertension due to heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sacubitril/valsartan on right ventricular (RV) function in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). We prospectively enrolled patients with HFrEF-induced PH admitted to the Department of Cardiology between August 2018 and December 2019. Patients were randomized to receive oral treatment with sacubitril/valsartan or enalapril. Epidemiological data were recorded before treatment. Echocardiography was performed at admission and 6 months of follow-up, and all parameters were compared. Major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) were compared between baseline and 6 months follow-up. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the two groups. After 6 months of treatment, both treatment groups improved the following parameters from baseline (mean ± SD): left atrium, left ventricle, the left ventricular ejection function (LVEF), RV systolic function (the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE], the systolic pulmonary artery pressure [sPAP], and TAPSE/sPAP). After 6 months, sacubitril/valsartan improved significantly the following parameters compared with enalapril (all p < 0.05): LVEF (47.07 ± 6.93% vs. 43.47 ± 7.95%); TAPSE (15.33 ± 1.31 vs. 14.78 ± 1.36 mm); sPAP (36.76 ± 14.32 vs. 42.26 ± 12.07 mmHg); and TAPSE/sPAP ratio (0.50 ± 0.23 vs. 0.39 ± 0.14), respectively. There was no difference in readmissions due to recurrent heart failure. Sacubitril/valsartan seems to provide more beneficial effects among patients with HFrEF-induced PH to improve RV function, along with a decrease in pulmonary pressure.

Clinical significance of pulmonary hypertension in interstitial lung disease: A consensus statement from the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute's innovative drug development initiative-Group 3 pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been linked to worse outcomes in chronic lung diseases. The presence of PH in the setting of underlying Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is strongly associated with decreased exercise and functional capacity, an increased risk of hospitalizations and death. Examining the scope of this issue and its impact on patients is the first step in trying to define a roadmap to facilitate and encourage future research in this area. The aim of our working group is to strengthen the communities understanding of PH due to lung diseases and to improve the care and quality of life of affected patients. This introductory statement provides a broad overview and lays the foundation for further in-depth papers on specific topics pertaining to PH-ILD.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care of pulmonary hypertension patients outside the Hubei province in China

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected the lives of people around the world, especially some patients with severe chronic diseases. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak from December 2019 to April 2020 on treating patients with PH. A questionnaire regarding the medical condition of PH patients during the COVID-19 pandemic was designed by PH diagnostic experts in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China Respiratory Center. One hundred and fifty-six subjects with PH from non-Hubei regions in China were invited to participate in this survey online. 63.4% (n = 99) of them had difficulty seeing a doctor, and the main reason was fear of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the hospital. Medical treatment was affected in 25% (n = 39) of patients, and who lived in rural areas, and discontinued medical therapy for financial reasons were at a higher risk of medical treatment being affected. Patients who reduced nutrition, and had difficulty seeing a doctor were more likely to get deteriorated. During the epidemic, the hospitalization rate of PH patients was 33.33%. Patients with aggravated PH had a high risk of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] = 2.844), while patients who visited a doctor during the epidemic reduced the risk of hospitalization (OR = 0.33). In conclusion, during the COVID-19 pandemic, PH patients had difficulty seeing a doctor, and their medical treatment was affected, even worsened, and increased the risk of hospitalization.

Plasma metabolomics in the perioperative period of defect repair in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease

The quality of life and survival rates of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease (CHD-PAH) have been greatly improved by defect-repair surgery and personalized treatments. However, those who survive surgery may remain at risk of persistent PAH, the prognosis may be considerably worse than those unoperated. Dynamic monitoring of clinical measures during the perioperative period of shunt correction is therefore indispensable and of great value. In this study, we explored the plasma-metabolite profiling in 13 patients with CHD-PAH during the perioperative period of defect repair. Plasma was harvested at four time points: prior to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) after anesthesia (Pre), immediately after CPB (T0), 24 h (T24), and 48 h (T48) after defect repair. Untargeted metabolomics strategy based on UPLC Q-TOF MS was used to detect the metabolites. A total of 193 distinguishing metabolites were determined at different time points, enriched in pathways such as oxidation of branched-chain fatty acids. We found that 17 metabolite alterations were significantly correlated with the reduction in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) at T48 versus Pre. Gradients in diastolic pulmonary arterial pressure (DPAP), bicarbonate in radial artery (aHCO₃), bicarbonate in superior vena cava (svcHCO₃), and the partial pressure of dissolved CO₂ gas in radial artery (aPCO₂) were positively correlated with MPAP gradient. Notably, these clinical-measure gradients were correlated with alterations in shunt-correction-associated metabolites. In total, 12 out of 17 identified metabolites in response to defect repair were increased at both T24 and T48 (all P < 0.05, except propionylcarnitine with P < 0.05 at T24). In contrast, galactinol dihydrate, guanosine monophosphate, and hydroxyphenylacetylglycine tended to decline at T24 and T48 (only galactinol dihydrate with P < 0.05 at T48). In conclusion, 17 metabolites that respond to shunt correction could be used as suitable noninvasive markers, and clinical measures, including DPAP, aHCO₃, svcHCO₃, and aPCO₂, would be of great value in disease monitoring and evaluating future therapeutic interventions.

Management and prognosis of HIV-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: 20 Years of evidence from the REHAP registry

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an independent predictor of death in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV is the leading cause of PAH (HIV-PAH) worldwide.

AIMS

We described the characteristics, treatment patterns, and prognosis of a cohort of HIV-PAH patients and compared them with those of an equivalent cohort of patients with idiopathic/familial PAH (IPAH/FPAH).

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed and compared the demographic, clinical, and treatment data from patients with HIV-PAH and those with IPAH/FPAH in the Spanish PAH registry (REHAP) from 1998 to 2018. The HIV-PAH overall survival (OS) rate up to 5 years was compared to the age- and sex-matched IPAH/FPAH population. Changes in treatment patterns in patients with HIV-PAH after 2010 and their effects on OS were also analysed.

RESULTS

Compared to those with IPAH/FPAH (n = 739), patients with HIV-PAH (n = 132) were younger, mainly men, and had a better functional status. The clinical presentation, haemodynamics, and respiratory function were similar between the groups. Parenteral drug use was the most common mode of HIV transmission. Approximately 11% of patients with HIV-PAH did not receive PAH-targeted therapy. The age- and sex-adjusted 5-year OS rate from diagnosis was 74.0% for patients with HIV-PAH and 68.7% for those with IPAH (p < 0.159). During/after 2010, 23% of patients with IPAH/FPAH received upfront dual oral combination, while oral monotherapy remained the main first-line treatment in patients with HIV-PAH. The overall OS rate remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with HIV-PAH were predominantly young men. The short-term prognosis is similar to that of age- and sex-matched patients with IPAH/FPAH, despite a better functional status. Oral monotherapy remains the preferred first-line treatment in the current cohorts.

Potential Role of Cellular Senescence in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and chronic lung vasculature disease characterized by pulmonary vasculature remodeling, including abnormal proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and dysfunctional endothelial cells (ECs). Remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature occurs from maturity to senescence, and it has become apparent that cellular senescence plays a central role in the pathogenesis of various degenerative vascular diseases and pulmonary pathologies. Cellular senescence represents a state of stable proliferative arrest accompanied by the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which entails the copious secretion of proinflammatory signals in the tissue microenvironment. Evidences show that in PAH patients, higher levels of cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory mediators can be detected and correlate with clinical outcome. Moreover, senescent cells accrue with age in epithelial, endothelial, fibroblastic, and immunological compartments within human lungs, and evidence showed that ECs and PASMCs in lungs from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were characterized by a higher number of senescent cells. However, there is little evidence uncovering the molecular pulmonary vasculature senescence in PAH. Herein, we review the cellular senescence in pulmonary vascular remodeling, and emphasize its importance in PAH. We further introduce some signaling pathways which might be involved in vasculature senescence and PAH, with the intent to discuss the possibility of the PAH therapy via targeting cellular senescence and reduce PAH progression and mortality.

The Incidence and Prevalence of Pulmonary Hypertension in the COPD Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related pulmonary hypertension (PH) is one of the most common comorbidities of COPD, and often leads to a worse prognosis. Although the estimated prevalence and risk factors of COPD-related PH have been widely reported, these results have not been well integrated. This study aimed to review the worldwide incidence and prevalence of COPD-related PH and explore possible factors affecting its prevalence.

Patients and Methods

We searched four electronic databases (Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane, and MEDLINE) to identify all observational studies on the prevalence of COPD-related PH from database creation until July 20, 2021. Eligibility screening, quality assessment, and data extraction of the retrieved studies were independently conducted by two reviewers. Meta-analyses were performed to determine the prevalence of PH in the COPD population. Random-effects meta-regression model analyses were conducted to investigate the sources of heterogeneity.

Results

Altogether, 38 articles were included in the meta-analyses. The pooled prevalence was 39.2% (95% CI: 34.0–44.4, I² = 97.6%) for COPD-related PH. Subgroup analyses showed that the prevalence of PH increased with COPD severity, where the majority (30.2%) had mild PH and the minority had severe PH (7.2%). Furthermore, we found a significant regional difference in the prevalence of COPD-related PH (P = 0.000), which was the highest in Africa (64.0%) and the lowest in Europe (30.4%). However, stratified studies on other factors involving mean age, sex, enrolment time, participant recruitment settings, and PH diagnostic methods showed no significant differences in prevalence (P >0.05).

Conclusion

The global incidence of PH in the COPD population is very high, and there are significant regional and international variations. Patients with COPD should be screened for PH and contributing risk factors to reduce the burden on individuals and society.

Pipersentan: A De Novo Synthetic Endothelin Receptor Antagonist that Inhibits Monocrotaline- and Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension

Background: Although major advances have been made in the pathogenesis and management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), the endothelin system is still considered to play a vital role in the pathology of PAH due to its vasoconstrictive action. Endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs), either as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs, have attracted much attention in the treatment of this lethal disease, and research is continuing.

Methods: A novel ERA, pipersentan 5-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-6-[2-(5-bromopyrimidin-2-yl)oxyethoxy]-N-(2-methoxyethylsulfamoyl)pyrimidin-4-amine, was recently synthesized and the physicochemical characterizations and the pharmacology both in vitro and in vivo were studied.

Results: This orally administered ERA can both competitively and selectively inhibit the binding of endothelin-1 (ET-1) to its receptors with good physicochemical characteristics. Pipersentan efficaciously antagonized the effects of ET-1 on pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration and calcium mobilization and effectively improved right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary arterial pressure in both monocrotaline- and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) rat models.

Conclusions: This profile identifies pipersentan as a new agent for treating ET-1 system activation-related PH.

Incidence and outcomes of pulmonary hypertension in the Ireland

INTRODUCTION

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disease of the pulmonary vasculature, which is characterised by premature morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to define the characteristics of PH in the national PH unit (NPHU) in Ireland between 2010 and 2020.

METHODS

Cases of PH which were referred to the NPHU between 2010 and 2020 were included. PH was defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25 mm Hg at right heart catheterisation.

RESULTS

Four hundred and fifteen cases of PH were identified during the study period. Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) accounted for 39% (n=163) of cases, with a calculated annual incidence of 3.11 per million population (95% CI 1.53 to 4.70). The leading PAH subgroup was connective tissue disease-associated PAH (CTD-PAH), which was responsible for 49% of PAH referrals. This was followed by idiopathic PAH, with an estimated annual incidence of 0.63 cases per million population. The mean age at PAH diagnosis was 56±15 years and 86% (n=111) received double-combination or triple-combination therapy within the first 12 months of diagnosis. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year transplant-free survival for PAH was 89%, 75% and 65%. This was significantly lower for individuals with CTD-PAH relative to other PAH subgroups (p<0.05).

DISCUSSION

This study describes the incidence and outcomes of PH in Ireland. While the outcomes are comparable to other centres, the incidence of PAH and specific subgroups appears low, suggesting that improved disease awareness and case recognition are required. Furthermore, the survival of individuals with CTD-PAH is poor and requires additional exploration.