Body fluid status in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Introduction

Body fluid status can be determined by plasma volume status and extracellular water to total body water (ECW/TBW) ratio and is a well-known parameter associated with survival in patients with chronic heart failure (1–3). However, its prognostic impact in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is not fully understood.

Methods

409 patients with PAH and CTEPH who entered the Giessen PH registry were included in this study (4). Plasma volume status was estimated using Duarte formula (ePVS = (1 − hematocrit) / hemoglobin × 100). ECW was calculated via Peters formula ((−2.47 × 0.842 + 8.76 × body surface area) for men and (−1.96 × 0.572 + 8.05 × body surface area) for women) and TBW via Watson formula ((2.447 − [0.09516 × age] + [0.1073 × height] + [0.3362 × body weight]) for men and (−2.097 + [0.1069 × height] + [0.2466 × body weight]) for women). Statistical analyzes were performed with R (The R Foundation).

Results

Median age of the included patients was 65 [53, 74] years. Median ePVS and ECW/TBW ratio were 4.5 [3.9, 5.5] and 0.39 [0.37, 0.40]. Correlation analyses revealed that ePVS correlates with pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), whereas ECW/TBW ratio did not correlate with pulmonary hemodynamics. Accordingly, univariate Cox regression revealed that ePVS but not ECW/TBW ratio was associated with mortality (HR: 1.18 [1.02, 1.37]). ePVS remained as an independent prognostic parameter in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Patients with high ePVS showed significantly decreased survival rates (log-rank p<0.001).

Conclusion

ePVS but not ECW/TBW ratio is associated with prognostic parameters such as PVR, cardiac index and SvO2. Thus, ePVS may be an independent prognostic parameter in patients with PAH and CTEPH.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)

Treatment with low-dose tacrolimus inhibits bleeding complications in a patient with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can be found in patients suffering from a loss-of-function mutation of the gene encoding for the activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK-1), a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type 1 receptor. Interestingly, ALK-1 mutations also lead to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), an autosomal dominant disease characterized by arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) leading to potentially life-threatening bleeding complications such as epistaxis. Current therapeutic options for both diseases are limited and often only temporary or accompanied by severe side effects. Here, we report of a patient with a mutation of the ALK-1 gene suffering from both HHT and PAH. Recently, it was shown that tacrolimus increased ALK-1 signaling and had beneficial effects in selected end-stage PAH patients. We thus hypothesized that treatment with tacrolimus may prevent disease progression in this patient. Surprisingly, treatment with low-dose tacrolimus dramatically improved his HHT-associated epistaxis but did not attenuate progression of PAH.

[Community-acquired pneumonia]

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a frequent and potentially fatal disorder. Due to the notably high mortality within the first days, the immediate initiation of rational diagnostic pathways and treatment is of tremendous prognostic impact. In this review article, the current German guideline on the diagnosis and therapy of CAP is presented. Special focus is put on structured patient management based on the individual risk for early identification of critically ill patients. In particular, risk assessment directly influences rational diagnostics and adequate therapy. New recommendations concerning preventive strategies are also discussed in this article.

[Update pulmonary arterial hypertension : Definitions, diagnosis, therapy]

The term pulmonary arterial hypertension comprises a group of pulmonary vascular diseases of different etiologies that are characterized by similar precapillary vascular remodeling processes and result in exertional dyspnea and right heart insufficiency. The specific pharmacological treatment approach considers the risk of mortality and phenotypical properties and includes treatment with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists and prostanoids, as well as with more novel substances, such as a soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulator and an oral prostacyclin receptor agonist. The prognosis of the disease is mainly determined by the right heart insufficiency for which there is currently no specific pharmacological treatment. Lung transplantation may be offered as a last option. This review provides an overview of the current European guidelines from 2015 and the recommendations of the Cologne Consensus Conference for pulmonary hypertension from 2016.

[Pulmonary embolism]

Pulmonary embolism is a potentially fatal disorder and frequently seen in critical care and emergency medicine. Due to a high mortality rate within the first few hours, the accurate initiation of rational diagnostic pathways in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism and timely consecutive treatment is essential. In this review, the current European guidelines on the diagnosis and therapy of acute pulmonary embolism are presented. Special focus is put on a structured patient management based on the individual risk of early mortality. In particular risk assessment and new risk-adjusted treatment recommendations are presented and discussed in this article.

[Medical treatment of pulmonary hypertension: what's new?]

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a chronic progressive disease of the pulmonary circulation of multifactorial causes. The current diagnostic classification of PH distinguishes five main groups, which have as a common feature an increased pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary resistance. The classification differentiates pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), PH due to left heart disease, PH in lung diseases and/or hypoxia, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and PH with unclear/multifactorial mechanisms. Recent advances in basic research with the approval of new drugs and the establishment of therapeutic strategies, mainly in PAH and CTEPH, require a differentiated view of the disease, a careful diagnosis and initiation of therapy, and regular follow-ups. In this article, we provide an overview of the complex drug therapy currently available for PAH patients.

Mitochondrial cytochrome redox states and respiration in acute pulmonary oxygen sensing

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) is an essential mechanism to optimise lung gas exchange. We aimed to decipher the proposed oxygen sensing mechanism of mitochondria in HPV. Cytochrome redox state was assessed by remission spectrophotometry in intact lungs and isolated pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC). Mitochondrial respiration was quantified by high-resolution respirometry. Alterations were compared with HPV and hypoxia-induced functional and molecular readouts on the cellular level. Aortic and renal arterial smooth muscle cells (ASMC and RASMC, respectively) served as controls. The hypoxia-induced decrease of mitochondrial respiration paralleled HPV in isolated lungs. In PASMC, reduction of respiration and mitochondrial cytochrome c and aa3 (complex IV), but not of cytochrome b (complex III) matched an increase in matrix superoxide levels as well as mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarisation with subsequent cytosolic calcium increase. In contrast to PASMC, RASMC displayed a lower decrease in respiration and no rise in superoxide, membrane potential or intracellular calcium. Pharmacological inhibition of mitochondria revealed analogous kinetics of cytochrome redox state and strength of HPV. Our data suggest inhibition of complex IV as an essential step in mitochondrial oxygen sensing of HPV. Concomitantly, increased superoxide release from complex III and mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarisation may initiate the cytosolic calcium increase underlying HPV.

Cost-effectiveness of capecitabine in combination with oxaliplatin (XELOX) compared with FOLFOX for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer: A Canadian evaluation

e17502

Background: Capecitabine is an oral fluoropyrimidine used to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Recent trials in 1st- and 2nd-line treatment have shown that capecitabine in combination with oxaliplatin (XELOX) is non-inferior to FOLFOX4 in terms of progression-free survival, overall survival and response rates. XELOX offers patients the advantage of treatment every 3 weeks rather than every 2 weeks without the need for lengthy infusions. This analysis evaluated the cost- effectiveness of replacing FOLFOX4 with XELOX for 1st- and 2nd-line treatment of mCRC from both Canadian healthcare system payor and societal perspectives. Methods: Based on evidence of non-inferiority of XELOX vs. FOLFOX4, cost-minimization analyses (CMA) were conducted using phase III clinical trial data. The CMA compared total cost associated with chemotherapy medications, administration of chemotherapy, and treatment related toxicities. For the societal perspective, patients’ costs and time were also included. The costs (or savings) were compared for 1st-line XELOX vs. FOLFOX4 and 2nd-line XELOX vs. FOLFOX4. Due to variation in Canadian clinical practice, sensitivity analyses using the FOLFOX6 regimen as a comparator were performed. Results: Cost savings per patient for XELOX vs. FOLFOX4 from a healthcare system payor perspective and a societal perspective are shown in the Table . XELOX was also associated with cost savings when compared with the simplified administration regimen of FOLFOX6. Reduced costs for chemotherapy administration and costs for patients’ time and travel primarily related to fewer clinic visits offset the increased drug acquisition cost of the XELOX regimen. Conclusions: Replacing FOLFOX with XELOX is associated with cost savings from the healthcare system payor and societal perspectives while preserving clinical efficacy.

[Table: see text]

[Table: see text]

Palliativtherapie der malignen Ösophagusobstruktion mit selbstexpandierenden Metallendoprothesen

A total of 23 self-expanding metal stents were implanted in 17 patients (12 men, 5 women; mean age 66 [44-83] years) with inoperable malignant obstruction of the oesophagus or the oesophago-gastric junction. A primary success was achieved in all, a good functional result in 16 (94%). There were no complications. In the follow-up period (mean of 15.2 +/- 13 weeks) re-obstruction by the tumour process occurred in three patients. Twelve patients died after a mean survival time of 15.8 +/- 14 weeks. In ten of these the stent was still patent at death, while two had again developed dysphagia. The cumulative patency rate of the stents was 79%. These observations indicate that self-expanding metal stents can achieve satisfactory palliation in dysphagia due to a malignancy. The mortality and morbidity rates of the method seem to be less than those of other palliative measures.