Gaps in evidence in the treatment of prevalent patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension at intermediate risk: An expert consensus

Despite the innovations introduced in the 2022 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society Guidelines on Pulmonary Hypertension, risk discrimination and management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients at intermediate risk still represents a grey zone. Additionally, clinical evidence derived from currently available studies is limited. This expert panel survey intends to aid physicians in choosing the best therapeutic strategy for patients at intermediate risk despite ongoing oral therapy. An expert panel of 24 physicians, specialized in cardiology and/or pulmonology with expertise in handling all drugs available for the treatment of PAH participated in the survey. All potential therapeutic options for patients at intermediate risk were explored and analyzed to produce graded consensus statements regarding: the switch from endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) or phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) to another oral drug of the same class; the addition of a drug targeting the prostacyclin pathway administered by different routes; the switch from PDE5i to riociguat.

Microarray analysis demonstrates up-regulation of the endothelin-1 gene with compensatory down-regulation of the ETA receptor gene in human portal vein

High blood pressure in the portal vein, portal hypertension (PH), is the final common pathway in liver cirrhosis regardless of aetiology. Complications from PH are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Current drug therapy to reduce portal pressure is mainly limited to β-adrenergic receptor blockade but approximately 40% of patients do not respond. Our aim was to use microarray to measure the expression of ∼20,800 genes in portal vein from patients with PH undergoing transplantation for liver cirrhosis (PH, n=12) versus healthy vessels (control, n=9) to identify potential drug targets to improve therapy. Expression of 9,964 genes above background was detected in portal vein samples. Comparing PH veins versus control (adjusted P-value < 0.05, fold change > 1.5) identified 548 up-regulated genes and 1,996 down-regulated genes. The 2,544 differentially expressed genes were subjected to pathway analysis. We identified 49 significantly enriched pathways. The endothelin pathway was ranked the tenth most significant, the only vasoconstrictive pathway to be identified. ET-1 gene (EDN1) was significantly up-regulated, consistent with elevated levels of ET-1 peptide previously measured in PH and cirrhosis. ETA receptor gene (EDNRA) was significantly down-regulated, consistent with an adaptive response to increased peptide levels in the portal vein but there was no change in the ETB gene (EDNRB). The results provide further support for evaluating the efficacy of ETA receptor antagonists as a potential therapy in addition to β-blockers in patients with PH and cirrhosis.

Pediatric Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling and Exposure-Response Analysis of Ambrisentan in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Comparison With Adult Data

This study aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model of ambrisentan in pediatric patients (8 to <18 years) with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and compare pediatric ambrisentan systemic exposure with previously reported adult data. Association of ambrisentan exposure with efficacy (6-minute walking distance) and safety (adverse events) were exploratory analyses. A population PK model was developed using pediatric PK data. Steady-state systemic exposure metrics were estimated for the pediatric population and compared with previously reported data in adult patients with PAH and healthy subjects. No covariates had a significant effect on PK parameters; therefore, the final covariate model was the same as the base model. The pediatric population PK model was a 2-compartment model including the effect of body weight (allometric scaling), first-order absorption and elimination, and absorption lag time. Steady-state ambrisentan exposure was similar between the pediatric and adult population when accounting for body weight differences. Geometric mean area under the concentration-time curve at steady state in pediatric patients receiving ambrisentan low dose was 3% lower than in the adult population (and similar in both populations receiving high dose). Geometric mean maximum plasma concentration at steady state in pediatric patients receiving low and high doses was 11% and 18% higher, respectively, than in the adult population. There was no apparent association in the pediatric or adult population between ambrisentan exposure and change in 6-minute walking distance or incidence of ambrisentan-related adverse events in pediatric patients. The similar ambrisentan exposure and exposure-response profiles observed in pediatric and adult populations with PAH suggests appropriateness of body-weight-based dosing in the pediatric population with PAH.

Therapeutic Use of an Inhaled Drug Delivery in Pulmonary Hypertension: A Review

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious condition in which there is increased blood pressure in arteries of the lungs (pulmonary arteries). The therapies or drugs for PAH have expanded with the revelation of three key pathological processes - encompassing prostacyclin, nitric oxide (NO), and endothelin pathways. An outlook for patients suffering from PAH is still mediocre amidst recent advancements. The evolution of pre-clinical and clinical research on PAH has facilitated the identification of several new targeted therapies for the disease. In this article, we examine recent data on new pulmonary hypertension physiological pathways, primarily concentrating on administering drugs through the inhalation route and their effects. Although they have been given clinical use approval, medications based on these routes are presently being studied in clinical or pre-clinical settings. To confirm these innovative medicines' therapeutic efficacy and safety, extensive clinical trials are needed.

Utility of interval kidney biopsy in ANCA-associated vasculitis

OBJECTIVES

ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare autoimmune disorder that commonly involves the kidney. Early identification of kidney involvement, assessing treatment-response and predicting outcome are important clinical challenges. Here, we assessed the potential utility of interval kidney biopsy in AAV.

METHODS

In a tertiary referral centre with a dedicated vasculitis service, we identified patients with AAV who had undergone interval kidney biopsy, defined as a repeat kidney biopsy (following an initial biopsy showing active AAV) undertaken to determine the histological response in the kidney following induction immunosuppression. We analysed biochemical, histological and outcome data, including times to kidney failure and death for all patients.

RESULTS

We identified 57 patients with AAV who underwent at least one interval kidney biopsy (59 interval biopsies in total; median time to interval biopsy ∼130 days). Of the 59 interval biopsies performed, 24 (41%) patients had clinically suspected active disease at time of biopsy which was confirmed histologically in only 42% of cases; 35 (59%) patients were in clinical disease-remission, and this was correct in 97% of cases. The clinician's impression was incorrect in one in four patients. Hematuria at interval biopsy did not correlate with histological activity. Interval biopsy showed fewer acute lesions and more chronic damage compared with initial biopsy and led to immunosuppressive treatment-change in 75% (44/59) of patients. Clinical risk prediction tools tended to operate better using interval biopsy data.

CONCLUSION

Interval kidney biopsy is useful for determining treatment-response and subsequent disease management in AAV. It may provide better prognostic information than initial kidney biopsy and should be considered for inclusion into future clinical trials and treatment protocols for patients with AAV.

The Transition From Ambrisentan to Macitentan in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Real-word Prospective Study

Background: In a long-term event-driven trial, macitentan has demonstrated beneficial time to clinical worsening in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and reduced PAH-related hospitalization rates compared with placebo. Macitentan is the most recently approved endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and is the first ERA that has shown efficacy for morbidity and mortality in PAH patients; therefore, patients and physicians may consider converting treatment from ambrisentan to macitentan. Our study evaluated the safety, efficacy, and quality of life in PAH patients transitioning from ambrisentan to macitentan. Methods: This was a real-world, prospective study with a 12-month follow-up. PAH patients who had received stable doses of ambrisentan for over 3 months, were within the World Health Organization Functional Class II/III, and 6-min walk distance ≥ of 250 m were enrolled. The study included a screening period, followed by a transition phase, after which patients entered the long-term follow-up. Clinical data and treatment satisfaction outcomes were collected to assess and monitor the safety and efficacy of the transition. The trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn; No. ChiCTR2000034898). Results: One hundred and fifty-seven enrolled PAH patients completed the transition. All criteria for continuous treatment transition were met by 145 patients (92.4%). Results showed improvements in exercise capacity, cardiac function, and hemodynamics compared with baseline. During the process, 4 patients discontinued macitentan due to adverse events. There was no statistical difference in the overall incidence of adverse events before and after the transition. Conclusion: Transition to macitentan from ambrisentan was successful and well-tolerated by PAH patients, and was associated with greater efficacy and satisfaction.

The Transition From Ambrisentan to Macitentan in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Real-word Prospective Study

Background: In a long-term event-driven trial, macitentan has demonstrated beneficial time to clinical worsening in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and reduced PAH-related hospitalization rates compared with placebo. Macitentan is the most recently approved endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and is the first ERA that has shown efficacy for morbidity and mortality in PAH patients; therefore, patients and physicians may consider converting treatment from ambrisentan to macitentan. Our study evaluated the safety, efficacy, and quality of life in PAH patients transitioning from ambrisentan to macitentan.

Methods: This was a real-world, prospective study with a 12-month follow-up. PAH patients who had received stable doses of ambrisentan for over 3 months, were within the World Health Organization Functional Class II/III, and 6-min walk distance ≥ of 250 m were enrolled. The study included a screening period, followed by a transition phase, after which patients entered the long-term follow-up. Clinical data and treatment satisfaction outcomes were collected to assess and monitor the safety and efficacy of the transition. The trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn; No. ChiCTR2000034898).

Results: One hundred and fifty-seven enrolled PAH patients completed the transition. All criteria for continuous treatment transition were met by 145 patients (92.4%). Results showed improvements in exercise capacity, cardiac function, and hemodynamics compared with baseline. During the process, 4 patients discontinued macitentan due to adverse events. There was no statistical difference in the overall incidence of adverse events before and after the transition.

Conclusion: Transition to macitentan from ambrisentan was successful and well-tolerated by PAH patients, and was associated with greater efficacy and satisfaction.

A narrative review on adverse effects of dasatinib with a focus on pharmacotherapy of dasatinib-induced pulmonary toxicities

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a myeloproliferative disorder caused by the over activity of BCR-ABL1 (breakpoint cluster region-Abelson), has been successfully treated by Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). While imatinib is known as the first-line treatment of CML, in some cases other TKIs including dasatinib, nilotinib, bosutinib, and ponatinib may be preferred. Dasatinib, a second-generation TKI, inhibits multiple family kinases including BCR-ABL, SRC family kinases, receptor kinases, and TEC family kinases. It is effective against most imatinib-resistant cases except T315I mutation. Despite the superiority of dasatinib in its hematologic and cytogenetic responses in CML compared to imatinib, its potentially harmful pulmonary complications including pleural effusion (PE) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) may limit its use. Appropriate management of these serious adverse reactions is critical in both improving the quality of life and the outcome of the patient. In this narrative review, we will scrutinize the pulmonary complications of dasatinib and focus on the management of these toxicities.

Comparative assessment of efficacy and safety of ambrisentan and bosentan in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: A meta-analysis

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Two endothelin receptor antagonists, ambrisentan and bosentan, have been demonstrated to be effective individually compared with placebo in the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This network meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of ambrisentan and bosentan in patients with PAH.

METHODS

Clinical trials were identified from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL/CCTR), EMBASE and PubMed databases. Weighted mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for continuous outcomes (6-min walk distance [6MWD] and Borg dyspnoea index [BDI]). Hazard ratio (HR) was calculated for binary outcomes, including clinical worsening, discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs) and liver dysfunction. Surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was used to rank the treatments in each index.

RESULTS

Five clinical trials from four published studies (total patients: n = 920) were included. Ambrisentan and bosentan showed no significant difference in 6MWD (MD: -1.32; 95% CI: -27.87, 25.31, SUCRA score: ambrisentan 0.73, bosentan 0.77), BDI (MD: -0.16; 95% CI: -0.98, 0.65, SUCRA score: ambrisentan 0.83, bosentan 0.66), clinical worsening (HR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.33, 2.94, SUCRA score: ambrisentan 0.75, bosentan 0.74) and discontinuation due to AEs (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.11, 5.86, SUCRA score: ambrisentan 0.47, bosentan 0.57). However, ambrisentan was significantly better than bosentan with respect to abnormal liver function (HR: 23.18; 95% CI: 2.24, 377.20, SUCRA score: ambrisentan 0.99, bosentan 0.02).

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

The results of this network meta-analysis suggest that ambrisentan was similar to bosentan in efficacy, while it exhibited better tolerability with respect to abnormal liver function in comparison with bosentan, in patients with PAH.

Transition from Bosentan to Ambrisentan in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Single-Center Prospective Study

Background

Pulmonary hypertension patients experienced a high financial burden due to the high cost of drug therapy, high incidence of comorbidities and hospitalizations. Endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) in PAH treatment showed a high cost. While ambrisentan has been covered by medical insurance of a local government of China, there has been a drug transition from bosentan to ambrisentan in treating PAH patients. We evaluated the safety, efficacy and tolerability of ambrisentan after drug transition.

Methods

Liver and renal functions were inspected at baseline, month 1, 3 and 6. NT-proBNP, echocardiographic variables, WHO functional class (WHO-FC), 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) were measured in the baseline and month 6 to evaluate the safety and efficacy. Quality of life (QOL) scale was used in the baseline and month 6 to investigate the tolerability and quality of life of PAH patients.

Results

Among 224 PAH patients, 49 stable PAH patients meet the inclusion criteria were enrolled, among which three patients discontinued during the study. Our results showed no difference in 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) of PAH patients from baseline and month 6. The liver and renal function, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), WHO functional class (WHO-FC) showed no difference either. For echocardiography parameters, the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) of month 6 decreased. Other parameters were no significant difference from the baseline. There was no difference in the QOL scale between baseline and month 6.

Conclusion

Our results suggested that it is safe and tolerable for stable PAH patients to transition from bosentan to ambrisentan without influencing hematologic parameters or heart function.

Synergic effect of atorvastatin and ambrisentan on sinusoidal and hemodynamic alterations in a rat model of NASH

In non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), decreased nitric oxide and increased endothelin-1 (ET-1, also known as EDN1) released by sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) induce hepatic stellate cell (HSC) contraction and contribute to portal hypertension (PH). Statins improve LSEC function, and ambrisentan is a selective endothelin-receptor-A antagonist. We aimed to analyse the combined effects of atorvastatin and ambrisentan on liver histopathology and hemodynamics, together with assessing the underlying mechanism in a rat NASH model. Diet-induced NASH rats were treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/kg/day), ambrisentan (30 mg/kg/day or 2 mg/kg/day) or a combination of both for 2 weeks. Hemodynamic parameters were registered and liver histology and serum biochemical determinations analysed. Expression of proteins were studied by immunoblotting. Conditioned media experiments were performed with LSEC. HSCs were characterized by RT-PCR, and a collagen lattice contraction assay was performed. Atorvastatin and ambrisentan act synergistically in combination to completely normalize liver hemodynamics and reverse histological NASH by 75%. Atorvastatin reversed the sinusoidal contractile phenotype, thus improving endothelial function, whereas ambrisentan prevented the contractile response in HSCs by blocking ET-1 response. Additionally, ambrisentan also increased eNOS (also known as Nos3) phosphorylation levels in LSEC, via facilitating the stimulation of endothelin-receptor-B in these cells. Furthermore, the serum alanine aminotransferase of the combined treatment group decreased to normal levels, and this group exhibited a restoration of the HSC quiescent phenotype. The combination of atorvastatin and ambrisentan remarkably improves liver histology and PH in a diet-induced NASH model. By recovering LSEC function, together with inhibiting the activation and contraction of HSC, this combined treatment may be an effective treatment for NASH patients.

Summary: Combining atorvastatin with ambrisentan is safe and effective in reducing intrahepatic resistance and portal hypertension in an experimental model of NASH. This liver histology amelioration highlights a promising therapeutic strategy.

Targeted Drugs for Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease that can lead to right ventricular failure and premature death. Although approved drugs have been shown to be safe and effective, PAH remains a severe clinical condition, and the long-term survival of patients with PAH is still suboptimal. Thus, potential therapeutic targets and new agents to treat PAH are urgently needed. In recent years, a variety of related pathways and potential therapeutic targets have been found, which brings new hope for PAH therapy. In this perspective, not only are the marketed drugs used to treat PAH summarized but also the recently developed novel pharmaceutical therapies currently in clinical trials are discussed. Furthermore, the advances in natural products as potential treatment for PAH are also updated.

Evolution of Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Starting Macitentan After the Discontinuation of Other Endothelin-Receptor Antagonists: Results of a Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Macitentan is the latest endothelin-receptor antagonist (ERA) approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), presenting enhanced properties over previous ERAs.

OBJECTIVE

We describe the clinical and echocardiographic evolution of patients with PAH who started macitentan after discontinuing bosentan/ambrisentan.

METHODS

This was a retrospective series of patients with different etiologies who started macitentan after the suspension of other ERAs under routine clinical practice at five Spanish hospitals. World Health Organization functional class (WHO-FC), 6-min walk distance (6MWD), levels of N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and cardiac imaging data were collected and described at baseline (before macitentan initiation) and after 3, 6, and 12 months, when available.

RESULTS

In total, 12 patients (ten women; mean age 65.63 ± 13.27 years) were observed. At baseline, most patients were receiving concomitant PAH medications, and five patients were classed as WHO-FC III. After 3 months of macitentan treatment, WHO-FC had improved in four patients, 6MWD increased in eight patients, and NT-proBNP levels and right atrial area were lowered in seven and eight patients, respectively. Similar results were observed after 6 and 12 months. Macitentan was well-tolerated, with no PAH hospitalizations, septostomies, transplants, or deaths registered.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that switching to macitentan in patients with PAH who discontinued bosentan/ambrisentan was well-tolerated and effective. Further studies are needed to confirm these observations.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Palliative Medicine Review of the Disease, Its Therapies, and Drug Interactions

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is often a progressive and ultimately fatal disease. It is characterized by an elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure because of disease of the small pulmonary arterioles. PAH leads to a constellation of symptoms, including dyspnea, fatigue, syncope, chest discomfort, and peripheral edema. Disease-targeted therapies for PAH produce symptomatic and functional improvement, but long-term survival remains uncommon without lung transplantation. Palliative care is appropriate to support patients with advanced PAH who typically have a high symptom burden. However, palliative care has historically focused on supporting patients with malignant disease, rather than progressive chronic disease such as PAH. Our aim is to provide palliative care clinicians with a background in the classification, pathophysiology, and modern treatment of PAH. This review describes disease-targeted therapies and their effects on symptoms, physical functioning, and health-related quality of life. We also review the unique physiology of PAH and its implication for palliative interventions. Pharmacological interactions with, and precautions related to commonly used palliative care medications, are discussed.

Newer approaches and novel drugs for inhalational therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by remodeling of small pulmonary arteries leading to increased pulmonary arterial pressure. Existing treatments acts to normalize vascular tone via three signaling pathways: the prostacyclin, the endothelin-1, and the nitric oxide. Although over the past 20 years, there has been considerable progress in terms of treatments for PAH, the disease still remains incurable with a disappointing prognosis.Areas covered: This review summarizes the pathophysiology of PAH, the advantages and disadvantages of the inhalation route, and assess the relative advantages various inhaled therapies for PAH. The recent studies concerning the development of controlled-release drug delivery systems loaded with available anti-PAH drugs have also been summarized.Expert opinion: The main obstacles of current pharmacotherapies of PAH are their short half-life, stability, and formulations, resulting in reducing the efficacy and increasing systemic side effects and unknown pathogenesis of PAH. The pulmonary route has been proposed for delivering anti-PAH drugs to overcome the shortcomings. However, the application of approved inhaled anti-PAH drugs is limited. Inhalational delivery of controlled-release nanoformulations can overcome these restrictions. Extensive studies are required to develop safe and effective drug delivery systems for PAH patients.

Liver microphysiological systems development guidelines for safety risk assessment in the pharmaceutical industry

The liver is critical to consider during drug development because of its central role in the handling of xenobiotics, a process which often leads to localized and/or downstream tissue injury. Our ability to predict human clinical safety outcomes with animal testing is limited due to species differences in drug metabolism and disposition, while traditional human in vitro liver models often lack the necessary in vivo physiological fidelity. To address this, increasing numbers of liver microphysiological systems (MPS) are being developed, however the inconsistency in their optimization and characterization often leads to models that do not possess critical levels of baseline performance that is required for many pharmaceutical industry applications. Herein we provide a guidance on best approaches to benchmark liver MPS based on 3 stages of characterization that includes key performance metrics and a 20 compound safety test set. Additionally, we give an overview of frequently used liver injury safety assays, describe the ideal MPS model, and provide a perspective on currently best suited MPS contexts of use. This pharmaceutical industry guidance has been written to help MPS developers and end users identify what could be the most valuable models for safety risk assessment.

A network meta-analysis for safety of endothelin receptor antagonists in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background

Currently, direct comparative safety between endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is limited. Thus, a systematic review with network analysis was conducted.

Methods

An electronic search was performed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported the interested safety data (abnormal liver function, peripheral edema, and anemia) of ERAs in PAH. Risk ratios (RRs) with their confidence intervals (CIs) and the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) were calculated using a network analysis.

Results

Ten RCTs involving 2,288 patients were included. Compared with placebo, bosentan (RR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.78-4.84) significantly increased the risk of abnormal liver function, ambrisentan (RR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.23-2.13) significantly increased the risk of peripheral edema, and macitentan (RR, 3.42; 95% CI, 1.65-7.07) significantly increased the risk of anemia. SUCRA analysis suggested that bosentan 125 mg twice daily had the highest risk of abnormal liver function; ambrisentan 10 mg once daily had the highest risk of peripheral edema; macitentan 10 mg once daily had the highest risk of anemia.

Conclusions

Abnormal liver function (bosentan), peripheral edema (ambrisentan), and anemia (macitentan) were the safety indicators of ERAs in patients with PAH. Different monitoring parameters should be considered for individual ERA.

Prediction of Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity Using Long-Term Stable Primary Hepatic 3D Spheroid Cultures in Chemically Defined Conditions

High failure rates of drug candidates in the clinics, restricted-use warnings as well as withdrawals of drugs in postmarketing stages are of substantial concern for the pharmaceutical industry and drug-induced liver injury (DILI) constitutes one of the most frequent reasons for such safety failures. Importantly, as DILI cannot be accurately predicted using animal models, animal safety tests are commonly complemented with assessments in human in vitro systems. 3D spheroid cultures of primary human hepatocytes in chemically defined conditions, hereafter termed CD-spheroids, have recently emerged as a microphysiological model system in which hepatocytes retain their molecular phenotypes and hepatic functions for multiple weeks in culture. However, their predictive power for the detection of hepatotoxic liabilities has not been systematically assessed. Therefore, we here evaluated the hepatotoxicity of 123 drugs with or without direct implication in clinical DILI events. Importantly, using ATP quantifications as the single endpoint, the model accurately distinguished between hepatotoxic and nontoxic structural analogues and exceeded both sensitivity and specificity of all previously published in vitro assays at substantially lower exposure levels, successfully detecting 69% of all hepatotoxic compounds without producing any false positive results (100% specificity). Furthermore, the platform supports the culture of spheroids of primary hepatocytes from preclinical animal models, thereby allowing the identification of animal-specific toxicity events. We anticipate that CD-spheroids represent a powerful and versatile tool in drug discovery and preclinical drug development that can reliably flag hepatotoxic drug candidates and provide guidance for the selection of the most suitable animal models.

Risk stratification and medical therapy of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a severe clinical condition despite the availability over the past 15 years of multiple drugs interfering with the endothelin, nitric oxide and prostacyclin pathways. The recent progress observed in medical therapy of PAH is not, therefore, related to the discovery of new pathways, but to the development of new strategies for combination therapy and on escalation of treatments based on systematic assessment of clinical response. The current treatment strategy is based on the severity of the newly diagnosed PAH patient as assessed by a multiparametric risk stratification approach. Clinical, exercise, right ventricular function and haemodynamic parameters are combined to define a low-, intermediate- or high-risk status according to the expected 1-year mortality. The current treatment algorithm provides the most appropriate initial strategy, including monotherapy, or double or triple combination therapy. Further treatment escalation is required in case low-risk status is not achieved in planned follow-up assessments. Lung transplantation may be required in most advanced cases on maximal medical therapy.

Treatment Barriers in Portopulmonary Hypertension

Portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) is a form of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) that can develop as a complication of portal hypertension. Treatment of PoPH includes PAH-specific therapies, and in certain cases, such therapies are necessary to facilitate a successful liver transplantation. A significant number of barriers may limit the adequate treatment of patients with PoPH and explain the poorer survival of these patients when compared to patients with other types of PAH. Until recently, only one randomized controlled trial has included PoPH patients, and the majority of treatment data have been derived from relatively small observational studies. In the present article, we review some of the barriers in the treatment of patients with PoPH and implications for liver transplantation.

Chronic Right Heart Failure: Expanding Prevalence and Challenges in Outpatient Management

Right heart failure is caused by right heart dysfunction resulting in suboptimal stroke volume to supply the pulmonary circulation. Therapeutic developments mean that patients with acute right heart failure survive to hospital discharge and live with chronic right heart failure. Chronic right heart failure management aims to reduce afterload, optimize preload, and support contractility, with the best evidence available in vascular targeted therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, the management of chronic right heart failure relies on adapting therapies for left ventricular heart failure to the right. We review right heart failure management in the ambulatory setting and its challenges.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

This article provides an overview of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), beginning with the initial pathologic recognition of pulmonary hypertension more than 100 years ago and progressing to the current diagnostic categorization of PAH. It reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, genetics, and modern treatment of PAH. The article discusses several important recent studies that have highlighted the importance of new management strategies, including serial risk assessment and combination pharmacotherapy.

Surveillance on The Safety and Efficacy of Ambrisentan (Volibris Tablet 2.5 mg) in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Real Clinical Practice: Post-marketing Surveillance (Interim Analysis Report)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an intractable and rare disease and the accumulation of clinical evidence under real-world setting is needed. A post-marketing surveillance for the endothelin receptor antagonist ambrisentan (Volibris tablet) has been conducted by all-case investigation since September 2010. This paper is an interim report on the safety and efficacy of ambrisentan in 702 patients with PAH.

METHODS

PAH patients aged 15 years or older were subjected to the analysis. The safety analysis by overall cases or stratification of patient backgrounds and the efficacy analysis were investigated.

RESULTS

Regarding patient characteristics, the 702 patients subjected to safety analysis included 543 (77.4%) women and 546 (77.8%) patients at WHO functional class II/III. The mean observational time was 392.7 days. A total of 324 adverse drug reaction (ADR) occurred in 204 (29.1%) patients. Common ADRs (≥ 2%) included anemia (4.6%), peripheral edema (4.1%), headache (3.6%), edema and face edema (2.6% each), abnormal hepatic function (2.3%), and epistaxis (2.1%). There were 82 serious ADRs occurring in 44 (6.3%) patients (385 serious adverse events in 184 (26.2%) patients). Although 11 (1.6%) interstitial lung disease (ILD) cases were reported, all were observed in patients with disease that may contribute to ILD and therefore it is difficult to assess if ambrisentan was associated with these events. There was no difference in safety in relation to the presence/absence of connective tissue disease-related PAH (CTD-PAH) or combination therapy. Among 677 patients subjected to efficacy analysis, those in whom hemodynamic status was determined before and after treatment showed improvement in the mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance after treatment.

CONCLUSION

The interim results showed safety consistent with the known profile of ambrisentan in terms of the types and frequencies of ADRs in patients with PAH in real clinical practice, in comparison with previous clinical trials in Japan and the rest of the world. Thus, these results provided another corroboration of the tolerability of ambrisentan and we continue to monitor proper use information via the post-marketing surveillance to ensure any new safety signals are identified in a timely manner (ClinTrial.gov: NCT01406327).

Nanotherapeutics for Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating and fatal chronic lung disease. While current pharmacotherapies have improved patient quality of life, PAH drugs suffer from limitations in the form of short-term pharmacokinetics, instability, and poor organ specificity. Traditionally, nanotechnology-based delivery strategies have proven advantageous at increasing both circulation lifetimes of chemotherapeutics and accumulation in tumors due to enhanced permeability through fenestrated vasculature. Importantly, increased nanoparticle (NP) accumulation in diseased tissues has been observed pre-clinically in pathologies characterized by endothelial dysfunction and remodeled vasculature, including myocardial infarction and heart failure. Recently, this phenomenon has also been observed in preclinical models of PAH, leading to the exploration of NP-based drug delivery as a therapeutic modality in PAH. Herein, we discussed the advantages of NPs for efficacious treatment of PAH, including heightened therapeutic delivery to diseased lungs for increased drug bioavailability, as well as highlighted innovative nanotherapeutic approaches for PAH.

Evaluation and Management of Right-Sided Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Background and Purpose:

The diverse causes of right-sided heart failure (RHF) include, among others, primary cardiomyopathies with right ventricular (RV) involvement, RV ischemia and infarction, volume loading caused by cardiac lesions associated with congenital heart disease and valvular pathologies, and pressure loading resulting from pulmonic stenosis or pulmonary hypertension from a variety of causes, including left-sided heart disease. Progressive RV dysfunction in these disease states is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this scientific statement is to provide guidance on the assessment and management of RHF.

Methods:

The writing group used systematic literature reviews, published translational and clinical studies, clinical practice guidelines, and expert opinion/statements to summarize existing evidence and to identify areas of inadequacy requiring future research. The panel reviewed the most relevant adult medical literature excluding routine laboratory tests using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science through September 2017. The document is organized and classified according to the American Heart Association to provide specific suggestions, considerations, or reference to contemporary clinical practice recommendations.

Results:

Chronic RHF is associated with decreased exercise tolerance, poor functional capacity, decreased cardiac output and progressive end-organ damage (caused by a combination of end-organ venous congestion and underperfusion), and cachexia resulting from poor absorption of nutrients, as well as a systemic proinflammatory state. It is the principal cause of death in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Similarly, acute RHF is associated with hemodynamic instability and is the primary cause of death in patients presenting with massive pulmonary embolism, RV myocardial infarction, and postcardiotomy shock associated with cardiac surgery. Functional assessment of the right side of the heart can be hindered by its complex geometry. Multiple hemodynamic and biochemical markers are associated with worsening RHF and can serve to guide clinical assessment and therapeutic decision making. Pharmacological and mechanical interventions targeting isolated acute and chronic RHF have not been well investigated. Specific therapies promoting stabilization and recovery of RV function are lacking.

Conclusions:

RHF is a complex syndrome including diverse causes, pathways, and pathological processes. In this scientific statement, we review the causes and epidemiology of RV dysfunction and the pathophysiology of acute and chronic RHF and provide guidance for the management of the associated conditions leading to and caused by RHF.

Safety and feasibility audit of a home-based drug-transitioning approach for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: an observational study

BACKGROUND

Newer endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) used to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are associated with fewer drug-drug interactions than bosentan and require less monitoring. This, combined with a pharmacokinetic basis for improved efficacy, means there may be a clinical rationale for changing therapies. However, this can be challenging and few data on its safety in patients with PAH are available.

AIMS

At the Royal Free Hospital in London, UK, home-based medication transitioning has been standard practice since 2009 to avoid unnecessary hospital visits for patients, unless there is a clinical imperative. In this audit of standard practice we evaluated the consequences of adopting such a strategy when transitioning PAH patients between ERA therapies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using a Clinical Nurse Specialist-led, home-based transitioning strategy, 92 patients with PAH were transitioned from bosentan to macitentan or ambrisentan. Observational data were analysed retrospectively. The majority of patients were female with PAH associated with connective tissue disease and their ERA was changed in the hope of improving efficacy. The process was well tolerated with no adverse events associated with the process. Seventeen patients died during the study (macitentan, n = 5; ambrisentan, n = 12). None of the deaths was considered related to ERA treatment. The majority of patients remained clinically stable, based on WHO functional class and exercise capacity.

CONCLUSION

An established home-based transitioning strategy can be adopted safely for patients with PAH changing ERA therapies. Most patients remained stable and the therapy change was well tolerated.

Transition from Ambrisentan to Bosentan in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Single-Center Prospective Study

Background and objective: Two endothelin receptor antagonists (ETRAs), bosentan and ambrisentan, are approved for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, there is little information about the transition strategy between these two ETRAs. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy from ambrisentan to bosentan. Methods: Twenty PAH patients were enrolled into the single-center, open-labelled prospective study. Echocardiogram, WHO functional class (WHO-FC), 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), right heart catheterization, and hemotology were collected. After receiving oral 5 mg ambrisentan daily initially for one year, the patients were divided into two arms: eight patients switched to bosentan, while the remaining 12 patients continued ambrisentan. Characteristics at baseline, 1-and 2-year follow-up points were compared.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in echocardiogram, WHO-FC, hemodynamics, demographics and liver function at baseline, 1-and 2-year points in both arms. 6MWD in bosentan group was significantly shorter at baseline. But there were no significant differences of 6MWD at 1- and 2-year points.

CONCLUSIONS

It is safe for stable PAH patients to transition from ambrisentan to bosentan without hemodynamic or hematologic deterioration.

Ambrisentan: a review of its use in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease defined by an elevation in pulmonary arterial pressure that can lead to right heart failure and death. Ambrisentan is a selective endothelin receptor antagonist approved for the treatment of idiopathic, heritable PAH and connective tissue disease-associated PAH. Ambrisentan has been shown to improve exercise capacity and hemodynamics with an acceptable side-effect profile. It has also proven to be safely used in combination with other PAH-specific medications, especially with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. In the recent randomized trial, AMBITION, it was shown that upfront combination therapy of ambrisentan and tadalafil significantly decreased the risk of clinical failure compared with monotherapy. This review describes the drug profile of ambrisentan and its safety and efficacy in the treatment of PAH.

A systematic review of transition studies of pulmonary arterial hypertension specific medications

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive potentially fatal disease. Multiple pharmacologic options are now available, which facilitated transitions between different therapeutic options, although the evidence for such transitions has not been well described. We sought to review the evidence supporting the safety and/or efficacy of transitioning between PAH-specific medications. We performed a systematic review of all published studies in the Medline database between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2016 reporting on any transition between the currently Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved PAH-specific medications. Studies reporting on three or more adult patients published in the English language reporting on transitions between FDA-approved PAH medications were extracted and tabulated. Forty-one studies met the selection criteria, nine of which included less than eight patients (and thus were reported separately in the supplement), for a total of 32 studies. Transitioning from parenteral epoprostenol to parenteral treprostinil appears to be safe and efficacious in patients who have less severe disease and more favorable hemodynamics. Transitioning from a prostacyclin analogue to an oral medication may be successful in patients who have favorable hemodynamics and stable disease. There is conflicting evidence supporting the transition from a parenteral to an inhaled prostacyclin analogue, even in patients who are on background oral therapy. Currently, the only evidence in support of transitioning between oral PDE5 inhibitors is from sildenafil to tadalafil. Patients on higher doses of sildenafil are more likely to fail. In patients with liver abnormalities due to bosentan or sitaxentan, the transition to ambrisentan appears to be safe and can result in clinical improvement. Studies regarding PAH medication transitions are limited. Patients who have less severe disease, better functional status, and are on lower medications doses may be more successful at transitioning.

Pulmonary hypertension in connective tissue diseases: an update

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a relatively commoner complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with estimated prevalence ranging between 8% and 12% as compared to much lower figures in other connective tissue diseases (CTD). It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in CTDs. PH is classified into five major groups. CTD-associated PH belongs to group 1 PH, also known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Around 30% of scleroderma-related deaths are due to PAH. Underlying pathogenesis is related to pulmonary vasculopathy involving small vessels. The Evidence-based Detection of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic sclerosis (DETECT) algorithm outperforms the current European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines as a screening tool in SSc-PAH; it can, therefore, suggest when to refer a patient for right heart catheterization. CTD-PAH patients constitute at least 20% of patients included in all major trials of PH-specific therapy and the results are comparable to those of idiopathic PAH. The role of anticoagulation in CTD-PAH is associated with a high risk-benefit ratio with the caveat of its potential role in those with severe disease. There appears to be no role of immunosuppression in scleroderma-PAH; however, immunosuppressive agents, namely the combination of glucocorticoids and pulse cyclophosphamide / possibly mycophenolate, may result in clinical improvement in a subset of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and mixed connective tissue disease-related PAH.

Steps forward in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension: latest developments and clinical opportunities

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease that results in narrowing of the small pre-capillary pulmonary arteries leading to elevation of pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, subsequent right ventricular failure, and if unchecked, death. Advances in the treatment of PAH over the last two decades have markedly improved survival. These improvements reflect a combination of changes in treatments, improved patient care strategies, and varying disease phenotypes in the PAH population. Currently approved therapies for PAH are directed at the recognized abnormalities within the pulmonary vasculature and include endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators, and prostacyclin pathway agents. Most of these drugs have been approved on the basis of short-term trials that mainly demonstrated improvements in exercise capacity. More recently, long-term, event-driven trials of novel drugs have been performed, demonstrating new efficacy parameters. There have also been exciting advances in the understanding of right heart failure pathophysiology in PAH that have the potential to inspire the development of right ventricular targeted therapy and continued discoveries in the heterogeneity of disease and response to treatment has great potential for developing more 'personalized' therapeutic options. In this article, we review the current available data regarding the management of PAH, with an emphasis on the pharmacologic therapies and discussion of novel therapeutic directions for the treatment of this fatal disease.

Clinical Adverse Effects of Endothelin Receptor Antagonists: Insights From the Meta-Analysis of 4894 Patients From 24 Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials

BACKGROUND

Evidence of the clinical safety of endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) is limited and derived mainly from individual trials; therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

After systematic searches of the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases and the ClinicalTrials.gov website, randomized controlled trials with patients receiving ERAs (bosentan, macitentan, or ambrisentan) in at least 1 treatment group were included. All reported adverse events of ERAs were evaluated. Summary relative risks and 95% CIs were calculated using random- or fixed-effects models according to between-study heterogeneity. In total, 24 randomized trials including 4894 patients met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that the incidence of abnormal liver function (7.91% versus 2.84%; risk ratio [RR] 2.38, 95% CI 1.36-4.18), peripheral edema (14.36% versus 9.68%; RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.20-1.74), and anemia (6.23% versus 2.44%; RR 2.69, 95% CI 1.78-4.07) was significantly higher in the ERA group compared with placebo. In comparisons of individual ERAs with placebo, bosentan (RR 3.78, 95% CI 2.42-5.91) but not macitentan (RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.42-3.31) significantly increased the risk of abnormal liver function, whereas ambrisentan (RR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.45) significantly decreased that risk. Bosentan (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.06-2.03) and ambrisentan (RR 2.02, 95% CI 1.40-2.91) but not macitentan (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.81-1.46) significantly increased the risk of peripheral edema. Bosentan (RR 3.09, 95% CI 1.52-6.30) and macitentan (RR 2.63, 95% CI 1.54-4.47) but not ambrisentan (RR 1.30, 95% CI 0.20-8.48) significantly increased the risk of anemia. ERAs were not found to increase other reported adverse events compared with placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

The present meta-analysis showed that the main adverse effects of treatment with ERAs were hepatic transaminitis (bosentan), peripheral edema (bosentan and ambrisentan), and anemia (bosentan and macitentan).

Endothelin receptor blockers reduce shunting and angiogenesis in cirrhotic rats

BACKGROUND

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in splanchnic hyperaemia and portosystemic collateral formation in cirrhosis. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), an endothelium-derived vasoconstrictor, has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

DESIGN

This study aimed to survey the influences of ET-1 in cirrhosis-related angiogenesis. Common bile duct ligation was performed on Spraque-Dawley rats to induce cirrhosis. Since the 14th day after the operation, rats randomly received distilled water (DW, control), bosentan [a nonselective ET receptor (ETR) blocker] or ambrisentan (a selective ETA R blocker) for 4 weeks. On the 43rd day, portal and systemic haemodynamics, liver biochemistry, portosystemic shunting degree, mesenteric vascular density, mRNA and/or protein expressions of relevant angiogenic factors were evaluated.

RESULTS

In cirrhotic rats, bosentan significantly reduced portal pressure. Ambrisentan did not influence haemodynamics and liver biochemistry. Both of them significantly improved the severity of portosystemic collaterals and decreased the mesenteric vascular density. Compared with the DW-treated cirrhotic rats, splenorenal shunt and mesenteric inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expressions and mesenteric iNOS, COX2, VEGF, phospho-VEGF receptor 2, Akt and phospho-Akt protein expressions were down-regulated in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In rats with liver cirrhosis, both nonselective and selective ETA R blockade ameliorate the severity of portosystemic shunting and mesenteric angiogenesis via the down-regulation of VEGF pathway and relevant angiogenic factors. ET receptors may be targeted to control the severity of portosystemic collaterals and associated complications in cirrhosis.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Comparison of Sildenafil-Bosentan and Sildenafil-Ambrisentan Combination Therapies for Pulmonary Hypertension

To elucidate whether the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of sildenafil are influenced differently when it is coadministered with bosentan (S+B) or with ambrisentan (S+A), we evaluated the PK and PD profiles of sildenafil before and after 4-5 weeks of S+A or S+B treatment in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve of sildenafil was significantly higher in S+A treatment than in S+B treatment (165.8 ng•h/mL vs. 396.8 ng•h/mL, P = 0.018) and the oral clearance of sildenafil was significantly lower after S+A treatment than after S+B treatment (120.6 L/h/kg vs. 50.4 L/h/kg, P = 0.018). In the PD study, incremental shuttle walking distance was superior during treatment with S+A than during treatment with S+B (S+B; 280 m vs. S+A; 340 m, P = 0.042). There were no concerns about safety with either combination therapy regime.

Comparative safety and tolerability of endothelin receptor antagonists in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a condition that leads to progressive right heart failure and death unless recognized and treated early. Endothelin, a potent endogenous vasoconstrictor, has been identified as an important mediator of PAH. Endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) have been associated with an improvement in exercise capacity and time to clinical worsening in patients with Group 1 PAH, and three different ERAs are currently approved for use in this population: bosentan, ambrisentan, and macitentan. While all three ERAs are generally well-tolerated, they each have important adverse effects that need to be recognized and monitored. In particular, they may cause anemia, peripheral edema, and mild cardiac, respiratory, neurologic, and gastrointestinal adverse effects to varying degrees. Although bosentan increases a patient's risk of developing liver transaminitis, ambrisentan and macitentan do not appear to confer the same risk of hepatotoxicity at this time. Important drug-drug interactions, particularly involving other drugs metabolized via the cytochrome P450 pathway, are important to recognize when prescribing ERAs. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the current state of knowledge as it relates to the adverse effect profiles, tolerability, and drug-drug interactions of this class of medication as informed by the results of randomized clinical trials, drug surveillance programs, and regulatory agencies.

The limits of oral therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension management

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease in which remodeling of the small pulmonary arteries leads to a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and right-sided heart failure. Over the past decade, new treatments for PAH, such as the use of ERAs, PDE-5 inhibitors and prostacyclin analogs, have brought about dramatic improvements in clinical outcomes. Epoprostenol infusion therapy has been shown to improve hemodynamics, functional status, and survival, and it remains the gold standard for treatment of patients with severe PAH. Many agents, approved for PAH are always delivered in pill form. Although oral therapy occupies an important position, it has some drawbacks and limitations in PAH management. For patients in World Health Organization functional class IV and with severe right heart failure, there are few data on the long-term survival of patients treated with oral medications. Further research, exploration, and clinical experience with oral therapy in severe PAH and combination therapy will redefine its position in PAH management.

2015 ESC/ERS Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension

Guidelines summarize and evaluate all available evidence on a particular issue at the time of the writing process, with the aim of assisting health professionals in selecting the best management strategies for an individual patient with a given condition, taking into account the impact on outcome, as well as the risk–benefit ratio of particular diagnostic or therapeutic means. Guidelines and recommendations should help health professionals to make decisions in their daily practice. However, the final decisions concerning an individual patient must be made by the responsible health professional(s) in consultation with the patient and caregiver as appropriate.

New pharmacotherapy options for pulmonary arterial hypertension

INTRODUCTION

Epoprostenol was the first targeted therapy available for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Since then great advances in our knowledge of the disease have been made and the spectrum of therapeutic options for PAH has expanded. After an overview of current available treatments, this article describes the new pharmacotherapy options and their place in the management of PAH.

AREAS COVERED

This paper is based on a literature search and the review of studies published on PAH pharmacotherapy using the MEDLINE database.

EXPERT OPINION

The last decade has been particularly important in PAH management with the emergence of six new molecules, the development of novel routes of administration and improvement of pharmacokinetics. Moreover, pediatric formulations have been developed. However, further research is required to inform clinicians regarding optimal choices of combination therapies (progressive add-on therapy or upfront combination therapy, selection of associated molecules regarding the patient's profile...), to continue to improve the quality of life of patients with new drugs and to reach the ultimate goal of curing the disease.

The molecular targets of approved treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension

Until recently, three classes of medical therapy were available for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)--prostanoids, endothelin receptor antagonists and phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. With the approval of the soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat, an additional drug class has become available targeting a distinct molecular target in the same pathway as PDE5 inhibitors. Treatment recommendations currently include the use of all four drug classes to treat PAH, but there is a lack of comparative data for these therapies. Therefore, an understanding of the mechanistic differences between these agents is critical when making treatment decisions. Combination therapy is often used to treat PAH and it is therefore important that physicians understand how the modes of action of these drugs may interact to work as complementary partners, or potentially with unwanted consequences. Furthermore, different patient phenotypes mean that patients respond differently to treatment; while a certain monotherapy may be adequate for some patients, for others it will be important to consider alternating or combining compounds with different molecular targets. This review describes how the four currently approved drug classes target the complex pathobiology of PAH and will consider the distinct target molecules of each drug class, their modes of action, and review the pivotal clinical trial data supporting their use. It will also discuss the rationale for combining drugs (or not) from the different classes, and review the clinical data from studies on combination therapy.

Endothelin Blockade in Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remains the most common cause of chronic kidney disease and multiple therapeutic agents, primarily targeted at the renin-angiotensin system, have been assessed. Their only partial effectiveness in slowing down progression to end-stage renal disease, points out an evident need for additional effective therapies. In the context of diabetes, endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been implicated in vasoconstriction, renal injury, mesangial proliferation, glomerulosclerosis, fibrosis and inflammation, largely through activation of its endothelin A (ET_A) receptor. Therefore, endothelin receptor antagonists have been proposed as potential drug targets. In experimental models of DKD, endothelin receptor antagonists have been described to improve renal injury and fibrosis, whereas clinical trials in DKD patients have shown an antiproteinuric effect. Currently, its renoprotective effect in a long-time clinical trial is being tested. This review focuses on the localization of endothelin receptors (ET_A and ET_B) within the kidney, as well as the ET-1 functions through them. In addition, we summarize the therapeutic benefit of endothelin receptor antagonists in experimental and human studies and the adverse effects that have been described.