RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive disease involving proliferative remodeling of the pulmonary vessels. Despite therapeutic advances, the disease-associated morbidity and mortality remain high. Sotatercept is a fusion protein that traps activins and growth differentiation factors involved in pulmonary arterial hypertension. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, phase 3 trial in which adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (World Health Organization [WHO] functional class II or III) who were receiving stable background therapy were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous sotatercept (starting dose, 0.3 mg per kilogram of body weight; target dose, 0.7 mg per kilogram) or placebo every 3 weeks. The primary end point was the change from baseline at week 24 in the 6-minute walk distance. Nine secondary end points, tested hierarchically in the following order, were multicomponent improvement, change in pulmonary vascular resistance, change in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level, improvement in WHO functional class, time to death or clinical worsening, French risk score, and changes in the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension-Symptoms and Impact (PAH-SYMPACT) Physical Impacts, Cardiopulmonary Symptoms, and Cognitive/Emotional Impacts domain scores; all were assessed at week 24 except time to death or clinical worsening, which was assessed when the last patient completed the week 24 visit. RESULTS: A total of 163 patients were assigned to receive sotatercept and 160 to receive placebo. The median change from baseline at week 24 in the 6-minute walk distance was 34.4 m (95% confidence interval [CI], 33.0 to 35.5) in the sotatercept group and 1.0 m (95% CI, -0.3 to 3.5) in the placebo group. The Hodges-Lehmann estimate of the difference between the sotatercept and placebo groups in the change from baseline at week 24 in the 6-minute walk distance was 40.8 m (95% CI, 27.5 to 54.1; P<0.001). The first eight secondary end points were significantly improved with sotatercept as compared with placebo, whereas the PAH-SYMPACT Cognitive/Emotional Impacts domain score was not. Adverse events that occurred more frequently with sotatercept than with placebo included epistaxis, dizziness, telangiectasia, increased hemoglobin levels, thrombocytopenia, and increased blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension who were receiving stable background therapy, sotatercept resulted in a greater improvement in exercise capacity (as assessed by the 6-minute walk test) than placebo. (Funded by Acceleron Pharma, a subsidiary of MSD; STELLAR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04576988.).
Assuntos
Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão , Adulto , Humanos , Método Duplo-Cego , Hipertensão Pulmonar/tratamento farmacológico , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/tratamento farmacológico , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/administração & dosagem , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/efeitos adversos , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/farmacologia , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/uso terapêutico , Resultado do Tratamento , Resistência Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Injeções Subcutâneas , Teste de Caminhada , Tolerância ao Exercício/efeitos dos fármacos , Fármacos Cardiovasculares/administração & dosagem , Fármacos Cardiovasculares/efeitos adversos , Fármacos Cardiovasculares/farmacologia , Fármacos Cardiovasculares/uso terapêutico , Medicamentos para o Sistema Respiratório/administração & dosagem , Medicamentos para o Sistema Respiratório/efeitos adversos , Medicamentos para o Sistema Respiratório/farmacologia , Medicamentos para o Sistema Respiratório/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a complex fatal condition which requires aggressive treatment with close monitoring. Significant progress has been made over the last three decades in the treatment of PAH but despite this progress, survival has remained unacceptably low. In the quest to improve survival, therapeutic interventions play a central role. In the last few years, there have been remarkable attempts to identify novel treatments. Finally, we have had a breakthrough with the discovery of the fourth treatment pathway in PAH. Activin signaling inhibition distinguishes itself as a potential antiproliferative intervention as opposed to the traditional therapies which mediate their effect primarily by vasodilatation. With this novel treatment pathway, we stand at an important milestone with an exciting future ahead and the natural question of when to utilize Activin signaling inhibitor (ASI) for the treatment of PAH. In this state-of-the-art review, we focus on the placement of this novel agent in the PAH treatment paradigm based on the available evidence, with special focus on the US patient population. This review also provides an expert opinion of the current treatment algorithm on important subgroups of patients with comorbidities from the US perspective.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling, cellular proliferation, and poor long-term outcomes. Dysfunctional bone morphogenetic protein pathway signaling is associated with both hereditary and idiopathic subtypes. Sotatercept, a novel fusion protein, binds activins and growth differentiation factors in the attempt to restore balance between growth-promoting and growth-inhibiting signaling pathways. METHODS: In this 24-week multicenter trial, we randomly assigned 106 adults who were receiving background therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension to receive subcutaneous sotatercept at a dose of 0.3 mg per kilogram of body weight every 3 weeks or 0.7 mg per kilogram every 3 weeks or placebo. The primary end point was the change from baseline to week 24 in pulmonary vascular resistance. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar among the three groups. The least-squares mean difference between the sotatercept 0.3-mg group and the placebo group in the change from baseline to week 24 in pulmonary vascular resistance was -145.8 dyn · sec · cm-5 (95% confidence interval [CI], -241.0 to -50.6; P = 0.003). The least-squares mean difference between the sotatercept 0.7-mg group and the placebo group was -239.5 dyn · sec · cm-5 (95% CI, -329.3 to -149.7; P<0.001). At 24 weeks, the least-squares mean difference between the sotatercept 0.3-mg group and the placebo group in the change from baseline in 6-minute walk distance was 29.4 m (95% CI, 3.8 to 55.0). The least-squares mean difference between the sotatercept 0.7-mg group and the placebo group was 21.4 m (95% CI, -2.8 to 45.7). Sotatercept was also associated with a decrease in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels. Thrombocytopenia and an increased hemoglobin level were the most common hematologic adverse events. One patient in the sotatercept 0.7-mg group died from cardiac arrest. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with sotatercept resulted in a reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance in patients receiving background therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension. (Funded by Acceleron Pharma; PULSAR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03496207.).
Assuntos
Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/tratamento farmacológico , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/uso terapêutico , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/antagonistas & inibidores , Resistência Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Adulto , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Método Duplo-Cego , Tolerância ao Exercício/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Humanos , Injeções Subcutâneas , Análise dos Mínimos Quadrados , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Peptídeo Natriurético Encefálico/sangue , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/sangue , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/sangue , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/fisiopatologia , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/efeitos adversos , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/farmacologia , Trombocitopenia/induzido quimicamente , Teste de CaminhadaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a noninvasive marker of cellular injury. Its significance in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown. METHODS: Plasma cfDNA was measured in 2 PAH cohorts (A, n=48; B, n=161) and controls (n=48). Data were collected for REVEAL 2.0 (Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-Term PAH Disease Management) scores and outcome determinations. Patients were divided into the following REVEAL risk groups: low (≤6), medium (7-8), and high (≥9). Total cfDNA concentrations were compared among controls and PAH risk groups by 1-way analysis of variance. Log-rank tests compared survival between cfDNA tertiles and REVEAL risk groups. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were estimated from logistic regression models. A sample subset from cohort B (n=96) and controls (n=16) underwent bisulfite sequencing followed by a deconvolution algorithm to map cell-specific cfDNA methylation patterns, with concentrations compared using t tests. RESULTS: In cohort A, median (interquartile range) age was 62 years (47-71), with 75% female, and median (interquartile range) REVEAL 2.0 was 6 (4-9). In cohort B, median (interquartile range) age was 59 years (49-71), with 69% female, and median (interquartile range) REVEAL 2.0 was 7 (6-9). In both cohorts, cfDNA concentrations differed among patients with PAH of varying REVEAL risk and controls (analysis of variance P≤0.002) and were greater in the high-risk compared with the low-risk category (P≤0.002). In cohort B, death or lung transplant occurred in 14 of 54, 23 of 53, and 35 of 54 patients in the lowest, middle, and highest cfDNA tertiles, respectively. cfDNA levels stratified as tertiles (log-rank: P=0.0001) and REVEAL risk groups (log-rank: P<0.0001) each predicted transplant-free survival. The addition of cfDNA to REVEAL improved discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.72-0.78; P=0.02). Compared with controls, methylation analysis in patients with PAH revealed increased cfDNA originating from erythrocyte progenitors, neutrophils, monocytes, adipocytes, natural killer cells, vascular endothelium, and cardiac myocytes (Bonferroni adjusted P<0.05). cfDNA concentrations derived from erythrocyte progenitor cells, cardiac myocytes, and vascular endothelium were greater in patients with PAH with high-risk versus low-risk REVEAL scores (P≤0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Circulating cfDNA is elevated in patients with PAH, correlates with disease severity, and predicts worse survival. Results from cfDNA methylation analyses in patients with PAH are consistent with prevailing paradigms of disease pathogenesis.
Assuntos
Ácidos Nucleicos Livres , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar , Idoso , Biomarcadores , Ácidos Nucleicos Livres/genética , Hipertensão Pulmonar Primária Familiar , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prognóstico , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/genética , Curva ROCRESUMO
BACKGROUND: In participants with pulmonary arterial hypertension, 24 weeks of sotatercept resulted in a significantly greater reduction from baseline in pulmonary vascular resistance than placebo. This report characterises the longer-term safety and efficacy of sotatercept in the PULSAR open-label extension. We report cumulative safety, and efficacy at months 18-24, for all participants treated with sotatercept. METHODS: PULSAR was a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study followed by an open-label extension, which evaluated sotatercept on top of background pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy in adults. Participants originally randomised to placebo were re-randomised 1:1 to sotatercept 0.3 or 0.7â mg·kg-1 (placebo-crossed group); those initially randomised to sotatercept continued the same sotatercept dose (continued-sotatercept group). Safety was evaluated in all participants who received ≥1 dose of sotatercept. The primary efficacy endpoint was change from baseline to months 18-24 in pulmonary vascular resistance. Secondary endpoints included 6-min walk distance and functional class. Two prespecified analyses, placebo-crossed and delayed-start, evaluated efficacy irrespective of dose. RESULTS: Of 106 participants enrolled in the PULSAR study, 97 continued into the extension period. Serious treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 32 (30.8%) participants; 10 (9.6%) reported treatment-emergent adverse events leading to study discontinuation. Three (2.9%) participants died, none considered related to study drug. The placebo-crossed group demonstrated significant improvement across primary and secondary endpoints and clinical efficacy was maintained in the continued-sotatercept group. CONCLUSION: These results support the longer-term safety and durability of clinical benefit of sotatercept for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Assuntos
Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar , Adulto , Humanos , DEAE-Dextrano , Resultado do Tratamento , Hipertensão Pulmonar Primária Familiar , Método Duplo-CegoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: In the phase 3 STELLAR trial, sotatercept, an investigational first-in-class activin signalling inhibitor, demonstrated beneficial effects on 6-min walk distance and additional efficacy endpoints in pre-treated participants with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS: This post hoc analysis evaluated data from right heart catheterisation (RHC) and echocardiography (ECHO) obtained from the STELLAR trial. Changes from baseline in RHC and ECHO parameters were assessed at 24â weeks. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model was used to estimate differences in least squares means with treatment and randomisation stratification (mono/double versus triple therapy; World Health Organization functional class II versus III) as fixed factors, and baseline value as covariate. RESULTS: Relative to placebo, treatment with sotatercept led to significant (all p<0.0001 except where noted) improvements from baseline in mean pulmonary artery (PA) pressure (-13.9â mmHg), pulmonary vascular resistance (-254.8 dyn·s·cm-5), mean right atrial pressure (-2.7â mmHg), mixed venous oxygen saturation (3.84%), PA elastance (-0.42â mmHg·mL-1·beat-1), PA compliance (0.58â mL·mmHg-1), cardiac efficiency (0.48â mL·beat-1·mmHg-1), right ventricular (RV) work (-0.85â g·m) and RV power (-32.70â mmHg·L·min-1). ECHO showed improvements in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) to systolic pulmonary artery pressure ratio (0.12â mm·mmHg-1), end-systolic and end-diastolic RV areas (-4.39â cm2 and -5.31â cm2, respectively), tricuspid regurgitation and RV fractional area change (2.04% p<0.050). No significant between-group changes from baseline were seen for TAPSE, heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume or their indices. CONCLUSION: In pre-treated patients with PAH, sotatercept demonstrated substantial improvements in PA pressures, PA compliance, PA-RV coupling and right heart function.
Assuntos
Coração , Hemodinâmica , Humanos , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/uso terapêutico , Cateterismo Cardíaco , Hipertensão Pulmonar Primária FamiliarRESUMO
Rho kinase (ROCK) is implicated in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in which abnormal pulmonary vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contractility and remodeling lead to right heart failure. Pharmacologic ROCK inhibitors block experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH) development in rodents but can have off-target effects and do not distinguish between the two ROCK forms, ROCK1 and ROCK2, encoded by separate genes. An earlier study using gene knock out (KO) in mice indicated that VSM ROCK2 is required for experimental PH development, but the role of ROCK1 is not well understood. Here we investigated the in vivo role of ROCK1 in PH development by generating a VSM-targeted homozygous ROCK1 gene KO mouse strain. Adult control mice exposed to Sugen5416 (Su)/hypoxia treatment to induce PH had significantly increased right ventricular systolic pressures (RVSP) and RV hypertrophy versus normoxic controls. In contrast, Su/hypoxia-exposed VSM ROCK1 KO mice did not exhibit significant RVSP elevation, and RV hypertrophy was blunted. Su/hypoxia-induced pulmonary small vessel muscularization was similarly elevated in both control and VSM ROCK1 KO animals. siRNA-mediated ROCK1 knock-down (KD) in human PAH pulmonary arterial SM cells (PASMC) did not affect cell growth. However, ROCK1 KD led to reduced AKT and MYPT1 signaling in serotonin-treated PAH PASMC. The findings suggest that like VSM ROCK2, VSM ROCK1 actively contributes to PH development, but in distinction acts via nonproliferative pathways to promote hypoxemia, and thus may be a distinct therapeutic target in PH.
Assuntos
Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar , Quinases Associadas a rho , Animais , Hipertrofia Ventricular Direita/genética , Hipóxia/complicações , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Músculo Liso Vascular/enzimologia , Miócitos de Músculo Liso/metabolismo , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/genética , Artéria Pulmonar/metabolismo , Quinases Associadas a rho/genética , Quinases Associadas a rho/metabolismo , Quinases Associadas a rho/fisiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The oral IP receptor agonist selexipag is approved for the long-term treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Treatment interruptions should be avoided due to the progressive nature of the disease. An intravenous (IV) formulation of selexipag was developed to provide a treatment option for short-term interruptions to oral selexipag. In this prospective, multicenter, open-label study, the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of temporarily switching between oral and IV selexipag were investigated (NCT03187678, ClinicalTrials.gov). METHODS: PAH patients receiving stable oral selexipag doses were enrolled. Following three consecutive IV selexipag infusions patients resumed oral selexipag. Corresponding IV and oral doses were selected to achieve comparable exposure to the active metabolite of selexipag. Safety outcomes were monitored throughout, and pharmacokinetic samples were obtained after oral and IV administration. RESULTS: All 20 patients completed the study. Fifteen patients had adverse events (AEs), most were mild, and none resulted in discontinuation. Headache was the most common AE throughout the study (four patients). Three serious AEs occurred in two patients with underlying comorbidities when oral dosing had resumed. There were no changes in WHO functional class for any patient and no clinically symptomatic changes in blood pressure were observed. Comparable exposure to the active metabolite of selexipag was demonstrated following corresponding oral and IV selexipag doses. CONCLUSIONS: Temporarily switching between corresponding doses of oral and IV selexipag was well-tolerated with no unexpected safety findings and comparable exposure to the active metabolite. Treatment with IV selexipag is a feasible option to bridge temporary oral selexipag treatment interruptions.
Assuntos
Acetamidas/administração & dosagem , Acetamidas/farmacocinética , Anti-Hipertensivos/administração & dosagem , Anti-Hipertensivos/farmacocinética , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/tratamento farmacológico , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/metabolismo , Pirazinas/administração & dosagem , Pirazinas/farmacocinética , Acetamidas/efeitos adversos , Administração Intravenosa , Administração Oral , Idoso , Anti-Hipertensivos/efeitos adversos , Estudos Cross-Over , Vias de Administração de Medicamentos , Feminino , Cefaleia/induzido quimicamente , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Pirazinas/efeitos adversosRESUMO
The pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and heart failure (HF) includes fibrogenic remodeling associated with the loss of pulmonary arterial (PA) and cardiac compliance. We and others have previously identified transglutaminase 2 (TG2) as a participant in adverse fibrogenic remodeling. However, little is known about the biologic mechanisms that regulate TG2 function. We examined physiological mouse models of experimental PH, HF, and type 1 diabetes that are associated with altered glucose metabolism/glycolysis and report here that TG2 expression and activity are elevated in pulmonary and cardiac tissues under all these conditions. We additionally used PA adventitial fibroblasts to test the hypothesis that TG2 is an intermediary between enhanced tissue glycolysis and fibrogenesis. Our in vitro results show that glycolytic enzymes and TG2 are upregulated in fibroblasts exposed to high glucose, which stimulates cellular glycolysis as measured by Seahorse analysis. We examined the relationship of TG2 to a terminal glycolytic enzyme, pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), and found that PKM2 regulates glucose-induced TG2 expression and activity as well as fibrogenesis. Our studies further show that TG2 inhibition blocks glucose-induced fibrogenesis and cell proliferation. Our findings support a novel role for glycolysis-mediated TG2 induction and tissue fibrosis associated with experimental PH, HF, and hyperglycemia.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/genética , Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Regulação Enzimológica da Expressão Gênica , Glicólise , Hipertensão Pulmonar/metabolismo , Transglutaminases/genética , Transglutaminases/metabolismo , Animais , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Proliferação de Células , Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Glucose/metabolismo , Humanos , Hiperglicemia/metabolismo , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Proteína 2 Glutamina gama-Glutamiltransferase , Artéria Pulmonar/metabolismo , Piruvato Quinase/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Hormônios Tireóideos/metabolismo , Regulação para Cima , Proteínas de Ligação a Hormônio da TireoideRESUMO
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a severe clinical condition despite the availability over the past 15â 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.
Assuntos
Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar/terapia , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Cálcio/uso terapêutico , Antagonistas dos Receptores de Endotelina/uso terapêutico , Humanos , Transplante de Pulmão , Inibidores da Fosfodiesterase 5/uso terapêutico , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Ensaios Clínicos Controlados Aleatórios como Assunto , Medição de RiscoRESUMO
High oestradiol (E2) and low dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) levels are risk factors for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in men, but whether sex hormones are related to PAH in women is unknown.Post-menopausal women aged ≥55â years with PAH were matched by age and body mass index to women without cardiovascular disease. Plasma sex hormone levels were measured by immunoassay.Lower levels of DHEA-S (p<0.001) and higher levels of E2 (p=0.02) were associated with PAH. In PAH cases (n=112), lower DHEA-S levels were associated with worse haemodynamics (all p<0.01) and more right ventricular dilatation and dysfunction (both p=0.001). Lower DHEA-S levels were associated with shorter 6-min walking distance (6MWD) (p=0.01) and worse functional class (p=0.004). Each Ln(1â µg·dL-1) decrease in DHEA-S was associated with a doubling in the risk of death (hazard ratio 2.0, 95% CI 1.5-2.7; p<0.001). Higher levels of E2 were associated with shorter 6MWD (p=0.03) and worse functional class (p=0.01).High E2 and low DHEA-S levels are associated with the risk and severity of PAH in post-menopausal women. Hormonal modulation should be studied as a treatment strategy in PAH.
Assuntos
Doenças do Tecido Conjuntivo/complicações , Sulfato de Desidroepiandrosterona/sangue , Estradiol/sangue , Cardiopatias Congênitas/complicações , Hipertensão Pulmonar/sangue , Pós-Menopausa/sangue , Idoso , Índice de Massa Corporal , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão Pulmonar/complicações , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Fatores de Risco , Teste de CaminhadaRESUMO
Tissue matrix remodeling and fibrosis leading to loss of pulmonary arterial and right ventricular compliance are important features of both experimental and clinical pulmonary hypertension (PH). We have previously reported that transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is involved in PH development while others have shown it to be a cross-linking enzyme that participates in remodeling of extracellular matrix in fibrotic diseases in general. In the present studies, we used a mouse model of experimental PH (Sugen 5416 and hypoxia; SuHypoxia) and cultured primary human cardiac and pulmonary artery adventitial fibroblasts to evaluate the relationship of TG2 to the processes of fibrosis, protein cross-linking, extracellular matrix collagen accumulation, and fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation. We report here that TG2 expression and activity as measured by serotonylated fibronectin and protein cross-linking activity along with fibrogenic markers are significantly elevated in lungs and right ventricles of SuHypoxic mice with PH. Similarly, TG2 expression and activity, protein cross-linking activity, and fibrogenic markers are significantly increased in cultured cardiac and pulmonary artery adventitial fibroblasts in response to hypoxia exposure. Pharmacological inhibition of TG2 activity with ERW1041E significantly reduced hypoxia-induced cross-linking activity and synthesis of collagen 1 and α-smooth muscle actin in both the in vivo and in vitro studies. TG2 short interfering RNA had a similar effect in vitro. Our results suggest that TG2 plays an important role in hypoxia-induced pulmonary and right ventricular tissue matrix remodeling in the development of PH.
Assuntos
Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Hipertensão Pulmonar/metabolismo , Pulmão/metabolismo , Artéria Pulmonar/metabolismo , Transglutaminases/metabolismo , Animais , Células Cultivadas , Colágeno/metabolismo , Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Fibronectinas/metabolismo , Humanos , Hipertensão Pulmonar/patologia , Hipóxia/metabolismo , Masculino , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Miofibroblastos/metabolismo , Proteína 2 Glutamina gama-GlutamiltransferaseRESUMO
RATIONALE: Recent studies have focused on the role of female sex and estradiol (E2) in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but it is not known whether sex hormones are risk factors for PAH in men. OBJECTIVES: We performed a case-control study to determine whether hormone levels (E2, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate [DHEA-S], and testosterone) are associated with PAH in men. METHODS: Plasma sex hormone levels in men with idiopathic, heritable, or connective tissue disease-associated PAH were compared with those from age- and body mass index-matched men without clinical cardiovascular disease. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 23 cases with PAH (70% had idiopathic PAH, 65% were functional class III/IV) and 67 control subjects. Higher E2 and E2/testosterone levels were associated with the risk of PAH (odds ratio per 1 ln[E2:testosterone], 6.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-16.4; P = 0.001), whereas higher levels of DHEA-S were associated with a reduced risk (odds ratio per 1 ln[DHEA-S], 0.1; 95% confidence interval, 0.0-0.3; P = 0.001). E2 and DHEA-S levels were strong predictors of case status (C statistic for both, 0.82) but testosterone was not (C statistic, 0.53). Higher levels of E2 were associated with shorter 6-minute-walk distances (P = 0.03), whereas higher levels of DHEA-S were associated with lower right atrial pressure (P = 0.02) and pulmonary vascular resistance (P = 0.01) in men with PAH. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of E2 and lower levels of DHEA-S were associated with PAH in men. Sex-based differences in sex hormone processing and signaling may contribute to unique phenotypes in pulmonary vascular disease.
Assuntos
Sulfato de Desidroepiandrosterona/sangue , Estradiol/sangue , Hipertensão Pulmonar/sangue , Idoso , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Long-term anticoagulation is recommended in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). In contrast, limited data support anticoagulation in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-PAH). We assessed the effect of warfarin anticoagulation on survival in IPAH and SSc-PAH patients enrolled in Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term PAH Disease Management (REVEAL), a longitudinal registry of group I PAH. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients who initiated warfarin on study (n=187) were matched 1:1 with patients never on warfarin, by enrollment site, etiology, and diagnosis status. Descriptive analyses were conducted to compare warfarin users and nonusers by etiology. Survival analyses with and without risk adjustment were performed from the time of warfarin initiation or a corresponding quarterly update in matched pairs to avoid immortal time bias. Time-varying covariate models were used as sensitivity analyses. Mean warfarin treatment was 1 year; mean international normalized ratios were 1.9 (IPAH) and 2.0 (SSc-PAH). Two-thirds of patients initiating warfarin discontinued treatment before the last study assessment. There was no survival difference with warfarin in IPAH patients (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.37; P=0.21) or in SSc-PAH patients (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.60; P=0.15) in comparison with matched controls. However, SSc-PAH patients receiving warfarin within the previous year (hazard ratio, 1.57; P=0.031) or any time postbaseline (hazard ratio, 1.49; P=0.046) had increased mortality in comparison with warfarin-naïve patients. CONCLUSIONS: No significant survival advantage was observed in IPAH patients who started warfarin. In SSc-PAH patients, long-term warfarin was associated with poorer survival than in patients not receiving warfarin, even after adjusting for confounders. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00370214.
Assuntos
Anticoagulantes/uso terapêutico , Gerenciamento Clínico , Hipertensão Pulmonar/tratamento farmacológico , Hipertensão Pulmonar/mortalidade , Sistema de Registros , Varfarina/uso terapêutico , Adulto , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Taxa de Sobrevida/tendências , Fatores de Tempo , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is characterized by precapillary pulmonary hypertension secondary to vaso-occlusive pulmonary vasculopathy and is classified as Pulmonary Hypertension Group 4. The aim of this study is to report the clinical experience of CTEPH in Mexico. METHODS: Consecutive patients diagnosed with CTEPH were identified from the Registro de Pacientes con Hipertension Pulmonar del Instituto de Seguridad y Servicio Social de los Trabajadores del Estado (REPHPISSSTE) registry between January 2009 and February 2014. Right heart catheterization was not routinely performed prior to August 2010 in the work-up of CTEPH. RESULTS: We identified 50 patients with CTEPH; their median age was 63 years and 58 % were female. Patients had multiple associated co-morbidities and moderate hemodynamic impairment. All patients were treated with anticoagulation. Despite surgical evaluation for pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), only one patient underwent PEA given the lack of infrastructure for post-operative care and lack of insurance for this procedure. Most of the patients were treated with sildenafil, bosentan, or both, with increasing use of rivaroxaban and sildenafil in recent years. The overall survival of the cohort was similar to that reported in other international registries, despite the limitations of care imposed by drug availability and surgical feasibility. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the CTEPH experience in Mexico. It highlights the similarity of patients in the REPHPISSSTE registry to those in international registries as well as the challenges that clinicians face in a resource-limited setting.
Assuntos
Hipertensão Pulmonar/epidemiologia , Artéria Pulmonar , Embolia Pulmonar/epidemiologia , Idoso , Anticoagulantes/uso terapêutico , Anti-Hipertensivos/uso terapêutico , Cateterismo de Swan-Ganz , Doença Crônica , Comorbidade , Endarterectomia , Feminino , Hemodinâmica , Humanos , Hipertensão Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Hipertensão Pulmonar/fisiopatologia , Hipertensão Pulmonar/terapia , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , México/epidemiologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Estudos Prospectivos , Artéria Pulmonar/efeitos dos fármacos , Artéria Pulmonar/fisiopatologia , Artéria Pulmonar/cirurgia , Embolia Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Embolia Pulmonar/fisiopatologia , Embolia Pulmonar/terapia , Sistema de Registros , Fatores de Risco , Fatores de Tempo , Resultado do TratamentoAssuntos
Anti-Hipertensivos/normas , Anti-Hipertensivos/uso terapêutico , Testes Genéticos/normas , Hipertensão Pulmonar/tratamento farmacológico , Hipertensão Pulmonar/fisiopatologia , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Congressos como Assunto , Feminino , Variação Genética , Humanos , Hipertensão Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Hipertensão Pulmonar/genética , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , National Institutes of Health (U.S.) , Fenótipo , Estados UnidosRESUMO
The demands on a pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatment algorithm are multiple and in some ways conflicting. The treatment algorithm usually includes different types of recommendations with varying degrees of scientific evidence. In addition, the algorithm is required to be comprehensive but not too complex, informative yet simple and straightforward. The type of information in the treatment algorithm are heterogeneous including clinical, hemodynamic, medical, interventional, pharmacological and regulatory recommendations. Stakeholders (or users) including physicians from various specialties and with variable expertise in PAH nurses, patients and patients' associations, healthcare providers, regulatory agencies and industry are often interested in the PAH treatment algorithm for different reasons. These are the considerable challenges faced when proposing appropriate updates to the current evidence-based treatment algorithm.The current treatment algorithm may be divided into 3 main areas: 1) general measures, supportive therapy referral strategy, acute vasoreactivity testing and chronic treatment with calcium channel blockers; 2) initial therapy with approved PAH drugs; and 3) clinical response to the initial therapy, combination therapy, balloon atrial septostomy and lung transplantation. All three sections will be revisited highlighting information newly available in the past 5 years and proposing updates where appropriate. The European Society of Cardiology grades of recommendation and levels of evidence will be adopted to rank the proposed treatments. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;62:D60-72) ©2013 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.
RESUMO
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease of the pulmonary microvasculature leading to elevated precapillary pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary vascular remodeling, a characteristic of PAH, is driven by dysfunctions in the signaling between the pulmonary smooth muscle and endothelial cells with abnormalities that affect cell proliferation and immune dysregulation. Sotatercept, an activin signaling inhibitor, has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of PAH based on two pivotal clinical trials. Evidence-based clinical trials have provided a framework to guide clinicians treating the disease; however, they are not tailored to the individual patient. Often, recommendations from these data are unclear or too general, due to remaining gaps in knowledge. In this edition of "How I Do It," we provide a case-based discussion of common clinical decisions regarding diagnostic testing, choice of first-line agents, escalation of therapy, potential timing of sotatercept, safety awareness, practical use, potential management changes, and the future use of sotatercept in other pulmonary hypertension cohorts.
RESUMO
Group 5 pulmonary hypertension (PH) encompasses diverse diseases, with a few cases linking it to T-cell large granular lymphocytic (LGL) leukemia. We report a case of a 76-year-old woman, diagnosed with LGL leukemia and concomitant PH, treated with oral triple pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) therapy. She initially presented with dyspnea on exertion; evaluation revealed severe precapillary PH. Implementing cyclophosphamide for leukemia along with tadalafil and macitentan for PH led to sustained symptomatic and hemodynamic improvement for over 3 years. At that time, deterioration in PH prompted the addition of selexipag, resulting in sustained clinical improvement for an additional 5 years. This case exemplifies the potential for sustained benefits of PAH therapy in leukemia-associated PH and highlights the need for continued research on the mechanistic relationship between LGL leukemia and PH, with the hope of identifying new management strategies.