Perioperative sildenafil therapy in pulmonary hypertension associated with congenital cardiac disease: An updated meta-analysis

To provide an updated meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sildenafil on pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with congenital heart disease (CHD). To assess the efficacy and safety of sildenafil, five outcomes, time duration of post-operative need for mechanical ventilation, time duration of post-operative ICU stay, length of hospitalization (LOH), the incidence of mortalities and pulmonary arterial pressure to aortic pressure ratio (PAP/AoP) were regarded as primary efficacy outcomes. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated for continuous data. In comparison to the control group (CG), there was a significant decrease in the time duration of ICU stay in the sildenafil group (SG) (SMD = -0.61 [95% CI -1.17, 0.04]; P < 0.01, I2 = 85%). Length of hospitalization was assessed in the sildenafil and control groups (SMD = -0.18 [95% CI -0.67, 0.31] P = 0.05, I2 = 62%). However, there was no significant difference seen in mortality rates between the SG and CG (SMD = 0.53 [ 95% CI 0.13, 2.17] p = 0.61, I2 = 0%), in the time duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation between the SG and CG (SMD = -0.23 [95% CI -0.49, 0.03] p = 0.29, I2 = 19%), or PAP/AoP ratio between the SG and CG (SMD = -0.42 [95% CI -1.35, 0.51] P < 0.01, I2 = 90%). Based on our analysis, sildenafil has little to no effect in reducing postoperative morbidity and mortality due to PH in infants and children with CHD.

Function of sildenafil on diseases other than urogenital system: An umbrella review

Background: To investigate the function of sildenafil on diseases other than urogenital system, an umbrella review was conducted. Methods: Meta-analysis and systematic reviews on this topic were comprehensively evaluated in this umbrella review. Quality of evidence was evaluated through AMSTAR and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system to generate a reliable and valid conclusion. Results: 77 out of 1164 meta-analysis were enrolled. 33 significant outcomes and 41 non-significant outcomes were extracted from all eligible articles. We found sildenafil did significant help in reducing arterial systolic pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Besides, sildenafil also improved exercise capacity or performance in patients with pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Other than these patients, this drug contributed great help in pregnant women with fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia by increasing the weight of newborns and lowering uterine and umbilical pulsatility indices. Additionally, it was reported that utilization of sildenafil has brought increased risk of melanoma. Conclusion: We can conclude from our study that sildenafil played an important role in many fields, especially in vascular protection. This finding provides a strong evidence for further expansion of sildenafil utilization in other diseases.

Sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension in neonates: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To provide an updated review and meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of sildenafil for treating persistent pulmonary hypertension in neonates (PPHN).

METHODS

PubMed/Medline, SCOPUS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science were searched from the inception of publication to January 2021. The principal outcomes include oxygenation parameters, hemodynamic metrics and echocardiographic measurements, as well as adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of eight studies were included with 216 term and premature neonates with PPHN. Compelling evidence showed the use of sildenafil could improve the prognosis of PPHN neonates, compared with baseline or placebo in neonates with PPHN, and a time-dependent pattern of the improvements can be observed. After 24 h of treatment, the Oxygenation index suggested a steady decrease (SD: -1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -2.92, -0.67) and sildenafil exerted peak effects after 72 h of treatment (SD: -4.02, 95% CI: -5.45, -2.59). No clinically significant side effects were identified. Egger's test and funnel plots of the major outcomes were performed, and the publication bias was not significant.

CONCLUSION

Improvements were shown in oxygenation index, pulmonary arterial pressure, and adverse outcomes after using sildenafil for PPHN in neonates. However, future research with robust longitudinal or randomized controlled design is still needed.

Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension: Definitions, Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a multifactorial disease with diverse etiologies and presenting features. Pulmonary hypertension (PH), defined as elevated pulmonary artery pressure, is the presenting feature for several pulmonary vascular diseases. It is often a hidden component of other lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Alterations in lung development and genetic conditions are an important contributor to pediatric pulmonary hypertensive disease, which is a distinct entity from adult PH. Many of the causes of pediatric PH have prenatal onset with altered lung development due to maternal and fetal conditions. Since lung growth is altered in several conditions that lead to PPH, therapy for PPH includes both pulmonary vasodilators and strategies to restore lung growth. These strategies include optimal alveolar recruitment, maintaining physiologic blood gas tension, nutritional support, and addressing contributing factors, such as airway disease and gastroesophageal reflux. The outcome for infants and children with PH is highly variable and largely dependent on the underlying cause. The best outcomes are for neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) and reversible lung diseases, while some genetic conditions such as alveolar capillary dysplasia are lethal. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:2135-2190, 2021.

Changes in ET-1, Plasma Neuropeptide Y, and CGRP in Child Patients With Congenital Heart Disease Complicated With Pulmonary Hypertension Before and After Operation

This study aims to explore the changes in endothelin-1 (ET-1), plasma neuropeptide Y, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in child patients before and after operation. A total of 80 child patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) complicated with pulmonary hypertension (PH) were enrolled and divided into control group (n = 40, conservative treatment for various reasons) and observation group (n = 40, active preoperative preparation and timely operative intervention) according to different treatments. There were positive correlations between systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and ET-1, plasma neuropeptide Y, while negative correlation between sPAP and CGRP. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that the levels of ET-1, plasma neuropeptide Y, and CGRP in PH-CHD were significantly changed after interventions, which provides new leads as alternative biomarkers to assess the efficacy of treatments against PH-CHD.

Effect of Prophylactic Levosimendan on All-Cause Mortality in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery-An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Levosimendan, a calcium sensitizer, enhances the myocardial function by generating more energy-efficient myocardial contractility than that achieved through adrenergic stimulation with catecholamines. We conducted this meta-analysis to primarily investigate the effects of levosimendan on all-cause mortality in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods: The databases of Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched till 21st March 2020. The eligible criteria were participants with age<18 year and undergoing cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD), and studies of comparison between levosimendan and placebo or other inotropes. Stata version 12.0 was used to perform statistical analyses. Results: Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 1 case-control trial (CCT) including 436 patients were included. The results showed that levosimendan did not significantly decrease all-cause mortality compared with control drugs (and placebo) in children undergoing cardiac surgery (P = 0.403). Perioperative prophylactic levosimendan administration strikingly decreased the low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) incidence (P = 0.016) but did not significantly reduce acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence (P = 0.251) and shorten mechanical ventilation and ICU stay time compared with other inotropes and placebo by analyzing the included literatures [mechanical ventilation (or intubation) time: P = 0.188; ICU stay time: P = 0.620]. Conclusions: Compared with other inotropes and placebo, perioperative prophylactic administration of levosimendan did not decrease the rates of mortality and AKI and shorten the time of mechanical ventilation (or intubation) and ICU stay but demonstrated a significant reduction in LCOS incidence after corrective surgery in pediatric patients for CHD. Due to limited number of included studies, the current data were insufficient to make the conclusions.

Clinical Outcomes and Treatment Options in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension Who Received Pulmonary Hypertension-Specific Drugs - Single-Center Case Series

Background: Recent progress in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH)-specific pharmaceutical agents has improved mortality and morbidity remarkably. Today, these PH-specific drugs have become a standard treatment for PH. Methods and Results: We herein summarize the treatment options and longitudinal clinical outcomes of 21 patients with PH who received PH-specific drugs at the present institution. Sixteen patients began treatment with a single PH-specific drug; 9 of them needed additional PH-specific drugs, but the other 7 were still taking the same drug at the last follow-up. Five patients began treatment with a combination of 2 or 3 PH-specific drugs, and their drugs were not discontinued. Most patients (17/21) were taking a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor at the last follow-up. During the 6.5±4.4 years' follow-up, 5 patients died, but only 1 death was related to PH. At 5 and 10 years, the estimated PH-related death-free and lung transplantation-free survival rate was 100% (95% CI: 100-100%) and 87.5% (95% CI: 38.7-98.1%), respectively. The estimated 5- and 10-year estimated overall survival rates were 77.9% (95% CI: 50.8-91.3%) and 68.2% (95% CI: 37.4-86.2%), respectively. Conclusions: PDE5 inhibitors played a central role in the treatment options. The long-term prognosis of PH was favorable at the present institution.