Treprostinil-based therapy in the treatment of moderate-to-severe pulmonary arterial hypertension: long-term efficacy and combination with bosentan. 2008

Raymond L Benza, and Barry K Rayburn, and Jose A Tallaj, and Salpy V Pamboukian, and Robert C Bourge
Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 321 THT, 1900 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. rbenza@uab.edu

BACKGROUND Treprostinil, a long-acting prostacyclin analog, diminished the symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in controlled 12-week clinical efficacy studies. This retrospective, single-center, open-label study was designed to assess the efficacy of long-term, subcutaneously administered, treprostinil-based therapy alone or in combination with bosentan for the treatment of moderate-to-severe PAH. METHODS Thirty-eight patients with pulmonary hypertension treated with subcutaneous treprostinil were followed up for a mean (+/-SD) duration of 984+/-468 days (range, 165 to 1,847 days). Oral bosentan was added to the treprostinil regimen if patients remained in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or II with intolerable prostacyclin side effects that limited therapy. Hemodynamic studies, Borg dyspnea score evaluations, 6-min walk (6MW) tests, and NYHA functional class determinations were performed at approximately 6-month intervals. RESULTS Mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 59.7 to 50.5 mm Hg (p<0.001). Significant and sustained improvement in 6MW distance (p=0.022) and Borg dyspnea score (p=0.023) were observed. At the final observation, the mean dose of treprostinil was 37.8 ng/kg/min (range, 7.5 to 115 ng/kg/min). At baseline, 5% of patients were in NYHA functional class 2 or lower vs 58% at the last follow-up. Bosentan was added to the regimens of 19 patients. In those patients, significant additional improvement occurred in the pulmonary arterial pressure (p<0.001), 6MW distance (p=0.001), and Borg dyspnea scale (p=0.020) compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS Long-term treatment with subcutaneous treprostinil-based therapy improved functional parameters and hemodynamics in patients with moderate-to-severe PAH. In patients requiring combination therapy, the addition of oral bosentan to treprostinil-based therapy was safe, well-tolerated, and associated with further clinical improvements.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006976 Hypertension, Pulmonary Increased VASCULAR RESISTANCE in the PULMONARY CIRCULATION, usually secondary to HEART DISEASES or LUNG DISEASES. Pulmonary Hypertension
D008137 Longitudinal Studies Studies in which variables relating to an individual or group of individuals are assessed over a period of time. Bogalusa Heart Study,California Teachers Study,Framingham Heart Study,Jackson Heart Study,Longitudinal Survey,Tuskegee Syphilis Study,Bogalusa Heart Studies,California Teachers Studies,Framingham Heart Studies,Heart Studies, Bogalusa,Heart Studies, Framingham,Heart Studies, Jackson,Heart Study, Bogalusa,Heart Study, Framingham,Heart Study, Jackson,Jackson Heart Studies,Longitudinal Study,Longitudinal Surveys,Studies, Bogalusa Heart,Studies, California Teachers,Studies, Jackson Heart,Studies, Longitudinal,Study, Bogalusa Heart,Study, California Teachers,Study, Longitudinal,Survey, Longitudinal,Surveys, Longitudinal,Syphilis Studies, Tuskegee,Syphilis Study, Tuskegee,Teachers Studies, California,Teachers Study, California,Tuskegee Syphilis Studies
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011464 Epoprostenol A prostaglandin that is a powerful vasodilator and inhibits platelet aggregation. It is biosynthesized enzymatically from PROSTAGLANDIN ENDOPEROXIDES in human vascular tissue. The sodium salt has been also used to treat primary pulmonary hypertension (HYPERTENSION, PULMONARY). Prostacyclin,Prostaglandin I2,Epoprostanol,Epoprostenol Sodium,Epoprostenol Sodium Salt, (5Z,9alpha,11alpha,13E,15S)-Isomer,Flolan,Prostaglandin I(2),Veletri
D001794 Blood Pressure PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS. Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D004359 Drug Therapy, Combination Therapy with two or more separate preparations given for a combined effect. Combination Chemotherapy,Polychemotherapy,Chemotherapy, Combination,Combination Drug Therapy,Drug Polytherapy,Therapy, Combination Drug,Chemotherapies, Combination,Combination Chemotherapies,Combination Drug Therapies,Drug Polytherapies,Drug Therapies, Combination,Polychemotherapies,Polytherapies, Drug,Polytherapy, Drug,Therapies, Combination Drug
D004417 Dyspnea Difficult or labored breathing. Orthopnea,Platypnea,Recumbent Dyspnea,Rest Dyspnea,Trepopnea,Breathlessness,Shortness of Breath,Breath Shortness,Dyspnea, Recumbent,Dyspnea, Rest,Dyspneas, Rest
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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