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Dardi F, Boucly A, Benza R, Frantz R, Mercurio V, Olschewski H, Rådegran G, Rubin LJ, Hoeper MM. Risk stratification and treatment goals in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Eur Respir J 2024:2401323. [PMID: 39209472 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01323-2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Risk stratification has gained an increasing role in predicting outcomes and guiding the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The most predictive prognostic factors are three noninvasive parameters (World Health Organization functional class, 6-min walk distance and natriuretic peptides) that are included in all currently validated risk stratification tools. However, suffering from limitations mainly related to reduced specificity of PAH severity, these variables may not always be adequate in isolation for guiding individualised treatment decisions. Moreover, with effective combination treatment regimens and emerging PAH therapies, markers associated with pulmonary vascular remodelling are expected to become of increasing relevance in guiding the treatment of patients with PAH. While reaching a low mortality risk, assessed with a validated risk tool, remains an important treatment goal, preliminary data suggest that invasive haemodynamics and cardiac imaging may add incremental value in guiding treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Dardi
- Cardiology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Athénaïs Boucly
- Université Paris-Saclay, Hôpital Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Raymond Benza
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Frantz
- Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Valentina Mercurio
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Horst Olschewski
- Div. Pulmonology, Department Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Göran Rådegran
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Cardiology, Lund University and The Haemodynamic Lab, VO Heart and Lung Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lewis J Rubin
- University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Marius M Hoeper
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Disease, Hannover Medical School and the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
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Li X, Zhang Y, Zhao Q, Yang T, Zeng Q, Jin Q, Duan A, Huang Z, Hu M, Zhang S, Gao L, Xiong C, Luo Q, Zhao Z, Liu Z. Usefulness of risk assessment tools in predicting hemodynamic outcome after balloon pulmonary angioplasty: a comparative analysis. Postgrad Med 2024; 136:446-455. [PMID: 38785198 DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2024.2358745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Several parameters of widely used risk assessment tools for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have been linked to hemodynamic outcomes of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA). Therefore, we aimed to determine whether these risk assessment tools could be used to predict hemodynamic outcomes following BPA. METHODS In this retrospective study, we included 139 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension who had undergone BPA at Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (Beijing, China). We compared the accuracies of seven well-validated risk assessment tools for predicting hemodynamic outcomes following BPA. A favorable hemodynamic outcome was defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure < 30 mmHg at follow-up. RESULTS The baseline risk profiles varied significantly among the risk assessment tools. The US Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-Term PAH Disease Management risk scales and the French risk assessment tools rated most patients as high-risk, while the Comparative, Prospective Registry of Newly Initiated Therapies for Pulmonary Hypertension (COMPERA) series and laboratory examination-based risk scales categorized most patients as having intermediate-risk profile. COMPERA 2.0 (4-strata) exhibited the highest predictive power among all risk stratifications. Noninvasive risk stratification (COMPERA 2.0 [3-strata]) showed a comparable predictive ability to that of invasive risk stratification (COMPERA 1.0) (area under the curve 0.649 vs. 0.648). Moreover, incorporating diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide and tricuspid regurgitation velocity into COMPERA 2.0 (4-strata) further enhanced its predictive power (net reclassification index 0.153, 95% confidence interval 0.009-0.298, p = 0.038). Additionally, this refined COMPERA version had a high calibration accuracy (slope 0.96). CONCLUSION Although the risk strata distribution varied among different risk assessment tools, the proportion of patients achieving favorable hemodynamics decreased with the escalation of risk stratification in most models. The well-validated risk assessment tools for PAH could also predict hemodynamic outcomes following BPA, and the refined COMPERA 2.0 model exhibited the highest predictive ability among these. Applying risk assessment tools before BPA can facilitate early identification of patients in need of closer monitoring and more intensive interventions, contributing to a better prognosis after BPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of ICU, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Zhao
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Yang
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qixian Zeng
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Jin
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Anqi Duan
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihua Huang
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Meixi Hu
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Sicheng Zhang
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Luyang Gao
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Changming Xiong
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Luo
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihui Zhao
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Liu
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Pienn M, Gertz RJ, Gerhardt F, Kröger JR, Zaytoun H, Reimer RP, Kaplan A, Wissmüller M, Kovacs G, Rosenkranz S, Olschewski H, Bunck AC. CT-derived lung vessel morphology correlates with prognostic markers in precapillary pulmonary hypertension. J Heart Lung Transplant 2024; 43:54-65. [PMID: 37619642 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is an integral part of the work-up in patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension (PH), there is no established CTPA-derived prognostic marker. We aimed to assess whether quantitative readouts of lung vessel morphology correlate with established prognostic indicators in PH. METHODS We applied a fully-automatic in-house developed algorithm for segmentation of arteries and veins to determine lung vessel morphology in patients with precapillary PH who underwent right heart catheterization and CTPA between May 2016 and May 2019. Primary endpoint of this retrospective study was the calculation of receiver operating characteristics for identifying low and high mortality risk according to the 3-strata risk assessment model presented in the current guidelines. RESULTS We analyzed 73 patients, median age 65 years (interquartile range (IQR): 54-76), female/male ratio 35/38, median mean pulmonary arterial pressure 37 mm Hg (IQR: 30-46), and found significant correlations with important prognostic factors in pulmonary arterial hypertension. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac index, mixed venous oxygen saturation, and 6-minute walking distance were correlated with the ratio of the number of arteries over veins with vessel diameters of 6-10 mm (Spearman correlation coefficients ρ = 0.64, p < 0.001; ρ = -0.60, p < 0.001; ρ = -0.47, p = 0.005; ρ = -0.45, p = 0.001, respectively). This ratio predicted a low- and high-risk score with an area under the curve of 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-0.90) and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.74-0.97), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The ratio of the number of arteries over veins with diameters between 6 and 10 mm is significantly correlated with prognostic markers in pulmonary hypertension and predicts low and high mortality risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pienn
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria
| | - Roman J Gertz
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Felix Gerhardt
- Department of Cardiology and Cologne Cardiovascular Research Center (CCRC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan R Kröger
- Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine, Johannes Wesling University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Hasan Zaytoun
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Robert P Reimer
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anil Kaplan
- Department of Cardiology and Cologne Cardiovascular Research Center (CCRC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Max Wissmüller
- Department of Cardiology and Cologne Cardiovascular Research Center (CCRC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gabor Kovacs
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria; Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Stephan Rosenkranz
- Department of Cardiology and Cologne Cardiovascular Research Center (CCRC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Horst Olschewski
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria; Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Alexander C Bunck
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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Yaylalı YT, Yağmur B, Sinan ÜY, Meriç M, Başarıcı İ, Kılıçkıran Avcı B, Şenol H, Nalbantgil S, Küçükoğlu S, Öngen Z. Risk Assessment Tool Implementation in Congenital Heart Disease-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Anatol J Cardiol 2023; 27:479-485. [PMID: 37288853 PMCID: PMC10406152 DOI: 10.14744/anatoljcardiol.2023.2885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Risk assessment is recommended for patients with congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. This study aims to compare an abbreviated version of the risk assessment strategy, noninvasive French model, and an abridged version of the Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management 2.0 risk score calculator, Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2. METHODS We enrolled a mixed prevalent and incident cohort of patients with congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (n = 126). Noninvasive French model comprising World Health Organization functional class, 6-minute walk distance, and N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide or brain natriuretic peptide was used. Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2 includes functional class, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, 6-minute walk distance, brain natriuretic peptide/N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. RESULTS The mean age was 32.17 ± 16.3 years. The mean follow-up was 99.41 ± 58.2 months. Thirty-two patients died during follow-up period. Most patients were Eisenmenger syndrome (31%) and simple defects (29.4%). Most patients received monotherapy (76.2%). Most patients were World Health Organization functional class I-II (66.6%). Both models effectively identified risk in our cohort (P =.0001). Patients achieving 2 or 3 noninva-sive low-risk criteria or low-risk category by Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2 at follow-up had a significantly reduced risk of death. Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2 approximates noninvasive French model at discriminating among patients based on c-index. Age, high risk by Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management Lite 2, and the presence of 2 or 3 low-risk criteria by noninvasive French model emerged as an independent predictors of mortality (multivariate hazard ratio: 1.031, 95% CI: 1.005-1.058, P =.02; hazard ratio: 4.258, CI: 1.143-15.860, P =.031; hazard ratio: 0.095, CI: 0.013-0.672, P =.018, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Both abbreviated risk assessment tools may provide a simplified and robust method of risk assessment for congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. Patients not achieving low risk at follow-up may benefit from aggressive use of available therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalın Tolga Yaylalı
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Türkiye
| | - Burcu Yağmur
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Ümit Yaşar Sinan
- Department of Cardiology, İstanbul University Cardiology Institute, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Murat Meriç
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - İbrahim Başarıcı
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye
| | - Burçak Kılıçkıran Avcı
- Department of Cardiology, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Hande Şenol
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Türkiye
| | - Sanem Nalbantgil
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Serdar Küçükoğlu
- Department of Cardiology, İstanbul University Cardiology Institute, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Zeki Öngen
- Department of Cardiology, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa, İstanbul, Türkiye
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Sanna L, Todea A. Risk assessment tools for survival prognosis: An era of new surrogacy endpoints for clinical outcome measurement in pulmonary arterial hypertension clinical trials? Respir Med Res 2022; 81:100893. [PMID: 35523041 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmer.2022.100893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Developing a new medication in a rare disease indication like pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is very challenging. This is especially true now that clinical trials often employ time to clinical worsening (TTCW) as an endpoint (thus requiring a relatively large and lengthy trial) and since patients are more frequently prescribed combination therapy. During the last few decades, several tools have been developed to predict mortality in PAH and have demonstrated generally good discrimination. The objective of this review article is to assess the available data on the different tools and methods described in the literature and identify potential candidates that could be used as surrogate endpoints in pivotal randomized clinical trials in future. Some of these tools have been validated in various registries and in post-hoc analyses of clinical trial data, but none have been assessed in a prospective clinical trial and we still lack the evidence necessary for endorsement by health authorities. In this review, we identify several promising options that warrant further investigation as potential surrogate endpoints in clinical trials to replace TTCW or 6-minute walk distance. Prospective inclusion of such tools in new clinical trials may help build a stronger surrogacy for prognosis of disease progression and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Sanna
- Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Allschwil, Switzerland.
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Stubbe B, Halank M, Seyfarth HJ, Obst A, Desole S, Opitz CF, Ewert R. [Risk Stratification in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension under Treatment - Results of Four German Centers]. Pneumologie 2022; 76:330-339. [PMID: 35373311 DOI: 10.1055/a-1740-3377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Risk stratification plays an essential role in the management of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). According to the current European guidelines the expected 1-year risk of mortality for PAH patients can be categorized as low, intermediate, or high, based on clinical, non-invasive and hemodynamic data.Data from 131 patients with incident PAH (age 64 ± 14) and frequent comorbidities (in 66.4 %) treated between 2016 and 2018 at 4 German PH centers were analyzed. At baseline, most patients were classified as intermediate risk (76 %), 13.8 % as high risk and only 9.9 % as low risk.During follow-up while on treatment after 12 ± 3 months (range 9-16 months) 64.9 % were still classified as intermediate risk (76 %), 14.4 % as high risk and 20.7 % as low risk.Survival at 12 and 24 months was 96 % and 82 % in the intermediate risk group, while only 89 % and 51 % of the high risk patients were alive at these time points. In contrast, all patients in the low risk category were alive at 24 months.Despite the availability of various treatment options for patients with PAH even in specialized centers only a minority of patients can be stabilized in the low risk group associated with a good outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Stubbe
- University Medicine Greifswald, Internal Medicine B, Pneumology, Greifswald
| | - Michael Halank
- Internal Medicine, Pneumology, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Anne Obst
- University Medicine Greifswald, Internal Medicine B, Pneumology, Greifswald
| | - Susanna Desole
- University Medicine Greifswald, Internal Medicine B, Pneumology, Greifswald
| | | | - Ralf Ewert
- University Medicine Greifswald, Internal Medicine B, Pneumology, Greifswald
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Wu SH, Wu YJ. Regular Risk Assessment in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - A Whistleblower for Hidden Disease Progression. ACTA CARDIOLOGICA SINICA 2022; 38:113-123. [PMID: 35273432 PMCID: PMC8888324 DOI: 10.6515/acs.202203_38(2).20211005a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite developments in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, timely treatment is seldom achieved, and hidden progression is not uncommonly disguised as a seemingly "stable" condition. Appropriate risk assessment tools facilitate goal-oriented treatment strategies. This article aimed to review the development of these risk assessment tools including early assessment equations/scores, European guidelines-based risk assessment scores, and tools derived from the United States nationwide registry. A stepwise and regular approach with these assessment tools in clinical practice is highly recommended for timely treatment escalation to stop disease progression early. In this review, a practical and recommended algorithm of these assessment tools is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Hao Wu
- Cardiovascular Center, Department of Internal Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei;
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Department of Medicine, and Institute of Biomedical Sciences, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Jer Wu
- Cardiovascular Center, Department of Internal Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei;
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Department of Medicine, and Institute of Biomedical Sciences, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan
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Ewert R, Habedank D, Halank M, Stubbe B, Opitz CF. Strategies for optimizing intravenous prostacyclin-analog therapy in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Expert Rev Respir Med 2021; 16:57-66. [PMID: 34846985 DOI: 10.1080/17476348.2022.2011220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Intravenous prostacyclin-analogs (PCA, e.g. epoprostenol, treprostinil, iloprost) have become an essential part in the therapy of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), mainly pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). They show considerable differences in pharmacology. A combination therapy including intravenous drugs is regarded as the 'gold standard' in most of PAH patients. AREAS COVERED This review discusses and summarizes the studies and concepts on which this therapy is based. To date, intravenous prostacyclin-analogs are mainly administered when standard therapy fails to improve patients to low-risk status. However, preliminary data from uncontrolled studies suggest that an 'upfront triple' therapy including intravenous or subcutaneous prostacyclin-analogs could be preferable in selected patients. EXPERT OPINION Various IV PCA have been evaluated in the treatment of patients with PAH. Today, combination therapy is the 'gold standard' for the majority of patients. Intravenous PCA is recommended from functional class III onwards. Timing of its initiation is still a point of discussion. An escalation of therapy to IV or SC PCA is always necessary if a low-risk status cannot be achieved with other targeted therapies. Preliminary data suggest that selected patients could benefit from an 'upfront triple' therapy. Controlled studies on which such recommendation could be based are lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Ewert
- Internal Medicine B, Pneumology, University Hospital Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dirk Habedank
- Internal Medicine, Cardiology, DRK Kliniken Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Halank
- Internal Medicine, Pneumology, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Beate Stubbe
- Internal Medicine B, Pneumology, University Hospital Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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Tilea I, Petra DN, Serban RC, Gabor MR, Tilinca MC, Azamfirei L, Varga A. Short-Term Impact of Iron Deficiency in Different Subsets of Patients with Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension from an Eastern European Pulmonary Hypertension Referral Center. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:3355-3366. [PMID: 34285560 PMCID: PMC8285229 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s318343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Over the last few decades, interest in the role of iron status in pulmonary hypertension (PH) has grown considerably due to its potential impact on symptoms, exercise capacity (as assessed by the 6-minute walk distance [6MWD]), prognosis, and mortality. The aim of the present study was to identify iron deficiency (ID) prevalence in specific precapillary PH subgroups of Romanian patients and its short-term impact on 6MWD. Patients and Methods Complete datasets from 25 precapillary PH adults were examined and included in the analysis. Data were collected at baseline and after continuous follow-up of an average of 13.5 months. Enrolled patients were assigned to group 1 (pulmonary arterial hypertension) or subgroup 4.1 (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension), and individualized targeted therapy was prescribed. General characteristics, World Health Organization functional class, 6MWD, pulse oximetry, laboratory parameters, and echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters were recorded. Ferritin values and transferrin saturation were used to assess ID. Results At baseline, 16 out of 25 patients were iron deficient. The univariate linear regression analysis did not show a statistically significant impact of ID on 6MWD (p=0.428). In multivariate regression analysis, possible predictors of 6MWD, including ID, were not statistically significant at baseline or after an average of 13.5 months follow-up (p=0.438, 0.361, respectively) and ID indicates a negative impact on 6MWD independent of applied corrections. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate that 1.4.1 subgroup PAH patients have an increased prevalence of ID compared with other etiologies. ID has a negative impact on the functional status (assessed by 6MWD), in specific groups and subgroups of patients with precapillary PH, albeit not independently nor significant to other known predictors such as age, gender, oxygen saturation, and hemoglobin value. These data can be integrated with global research and are consistent with phenotypes of patients diagnosed with PH of different etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioan Tilea
- Department of Internal Medicine, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, 540142, Romania.,Department of Cardiology II, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Targu Mures, 540042, Romania
| | - Dorina Nastasia Petra
- Department of Family Medicine, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, 540142, Romania.,Department of Internal Medicine II, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Targu Mures, 540042, Romania
| | - Razvan Constantin Serban
- Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, The Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases and Transplantation, Targu Mures, 540136, Romania
| | - Manuela Rozalia Gabor
- Department of Economics and Law, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, 540142, Romania
| | - Mariana Cornelia Tilinca
- Department of Internal Medicine, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, 540142, Romania
| | - Leonard Azamfirei
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, 540142, Romania.,Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Targu Mures, 540042, Romania
| | - Andreea Varga
- Department of Cardiology II, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Targu Mures, 540042, Romania.,Department of Family Medicine, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, 540142, Romania
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