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Objective: Limited data exists regarding prostanoid (PGI2) use in critically ill patients with pulmonary hypertension. (PH) in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) setting. Materials and Methods: Single center, retrospective study of patients with diagnosis of PH who received continuous PGI2 and were admitted to CICU from January/2015 to April/2022. Data collected included patient demographics and clinical characteristics including diagnosis, etiology of PH, vasoactive and ventilatory support, length of stay, and survival. Type, initial, maximum, and final dose of PGI2 as well as hemodynamic data was obtained. Data reported as mean ± standard deviation. Significance taken p value < 0.05. Results: 24 patients received PGI2 therapy at a mean age of 3.1 years, range (0–16.6 years). PGI2 was in the form of IV epoprostenol in 12 patients, IV treprostinil in 6, and SQ treprostinil in 6 patients. Mean initial dose was 2.79 ng/kg/min, max dose 18.75 ng/kg/min, and mean duration of therapy was 38.5 days. At PGI2 initiation, 21 (87.5%) were on vasoactive infusions, 19 (79.2%) mechanically ventilated (MV), and 6 (25%) were on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The in-hospital mortality rate was 37.5% (n = 9). Patients MV and on ECMO support had higher risk of death (p = 0.04, and < 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: PGI2 therapy was tolerated in approximately 50% of patients with the most common side effect being hypotension leading to discontinuation in 1/3rd of patients. Ongoing evaluation of the benefits of PGI2 for patients in the CICU setting will help better identify patient selection, type, and dosing of PGI2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treprostinil is a prostacyclin analogue that is frequently used in the pediatric and adult population to treat pulmonary hypertension; however, it is not often a drug of choice for patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of treprostinil as a treatment for pulmonary hypertension of the neonate. Data Sources: Electronic databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase were used for this literature review. Twelve articles within the last 10 years (2014-2024) were included in this review. Study Selection: 136 articles were identified and primary research studies published in English and with patients younger than one year of age were included. Duplicates were removed and studies discussing genetics and congenital heart disease were excluded. Data Extraction: Abstracts were reviewed and articles referencing treprostinil use in the NICU were included for review. Independent extraction was completed by author. Results: Findings showed treprostinil to have a therapeutic benefit in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernias and possibly with premature infants. Some adverse effects were noted, one of which included hypotension; however, management strategies exist to mitigate this effect. Implications for Practice and Research: Initiating treprostinil in the NICU may help decrease the severity of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) which can help reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality. Future research is needed to determine the optimal timeframe to initiate treprostinil in the NICU; the duration of treatment; use in other conditions that can cause PPHN (i.e. meconium aspiration syndrome); and the other potential effects it may have for the preterm infant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective Total cavo-pulmonary connection (TCPC) is a palliative treatment for single ventricular malformations. For high-risk patients (preoperative mean pulmonary arterial pressure, mPAP > 15 mmHg), between the inhaled and oral targeted medications, the application of intravenous treprostinil as a bridge therapy to achieve “seamless” management is core postoperative treatment. This study intends to explore the effect of different administration regimens on early postoperative recovery. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. High-risk pediatric patients (age ≤ 14 years) who underwent TCPC procedure in Fu Wai Hospital from 2015 to 2022 were included. Since the regimen of treprostinil was standardized in our center in 2021, the patients in 2020 and before were included in group 1, patients in 2021 and 2022 were included in group 2. The hemodynamic parameters were compared before and after the maintenance dose of treprostinil. The differences of demographic characteristics, surgical data and postoperative recovery were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 51 pediatric patients were included. Group 1 included 35 patients who received treprostinil at 1–3 postoperative days and an average dose of 12 ± 4 ng/(kg·min). Group 2 included 16 patients who received treprostinil within postoperative 1 day and an average dose of 22 ± 7 ng/(kg·min). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, weight, preoperative percutaneous oxygen saturation and mPAP, heterotaxy syndrome, TCPC procedure type, other concurrent procedure, cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp proportion (p > 0.05). After 24 h of treprostinil treatment, the mPAP in group 1 reduced from 17 ± 3 mmHg to 15 ± 2 mmHg (p

The objective of this analysis was to compare clinician‐based and formally calculated risk assessments by REVEAL Lite 2 and COMPERA 2.0 and to characterize parenteral prostacyclin utilization within 90 days of baseline in high‐risk patients. A multisite, double‐blind, retrospective chart review of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was conducted with an index period of January 2014–March 2017. Patients were categorized into the "any PAH medication" or "prostacyclin‐enriched" cohort based on latest PAH medication initiated within the index period. Clinicians classified the patient's 1‐year mortality risk as "low," "intermediate," or "high" based on their clinical assessment. REVEAL Lite 2 and COMPERA 2.0 scores were independently calculated. Risk assessment congruency was evaluated. Parenteral prostacyclin use was evaluated within 90 days of baseline. Thirty‐two clinicians participated and abstracted data for 299 patients with PAH. At baseline, mean patient age was 52 years, 6‐min walk distance was 226 m, and most patients were WHO functional class II or III. Half of the patients (53%) were classified by clinician assessment as intermediate risk, while most were classified as high risk by REVEAL Lite 2 (59%) and intermediate‐high risk by COMPERA 2.0 (52%). Parenteral prostascyclins were underutilized in high‐risk patients, and not initiated in a timely fashion. Clinician‐assessed risk category was incongruent with tool‐based risk assessments in 40%–54% of patients with PAH, suggesting an underestimation of the patient's risk category by clinician gestalt. Additionally, there was a lack of timely prostacyclin initiation for patients with PAH stratified as high‐risk by either tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PERFECT study, a randomized, controlled, double‐blind study of inhaled treprostinil in patients with COPD and associated pulmonary hypertension (PH‐COPD) was a negative trial that was terminated early. The reason(s) for the negative outcome remains uncertain. A post hoc analysis of data from the PERFECT study was undertaken to identify adverse responders and possibly potential responders. The goal was also to provide insight into phenotypes for possible inclusion and exclusion in future PH‐COPD clinical trials. An adverse response on active treatment was seen in 36.4% (24/66) of the subjects compared to 27.6% (16/58) on placebo. There was no evidence to suggest that hyperinflation, bronchospasm, or occult heart failure played any role in the untoward outcomes of the study. The patients who died during the study all had baseline diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide ≤25% of predicted. Evidence of a potential response was seen in 10.6% (7/66) of the patients who received inhaled treprostinil. Patients who had evidence of a treatment response had a baseline mean pulmonary artery pressure of ≥40 mmHg and a forced expiratory volume in the first second of ≥40%. Change in N‐terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide did not predict clinical response. This post hoc analysis provides information that may potentially enable improved selection of patients for future therapeutic trials in PH‐COPD. These analyses are post hoc, observational, and exploratory. The thresholds defining the spectrum of responders are preliminary and may require further refinement and validation in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Total cavo-pulmonary connection (TCPC) is a palliative treatment for single ventricular malformations. For high-risk patients (preoperative mean pulmonary arterial pressure, mPAP > 15 mmHg), between the inhaled and oral targeted medications, the application of intravenous treprostinil as a bridge therapy to achieve "seamless" management is core postoperative treatment. This study intends to explore the effect of different administration regimens on early postoperative recovery. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. High-risk pediatric patients (age ≤ 14 years) who underwent TCPC procedure in Fu Wai Hospital from 2015 to 2022 were included. Since the regimen of treprostinil was standardized in our center in 2021, the patients in 2020 and before were included in group 1, patients in 2021 and 2022 were included in group 2. The hemodynamic parameters were compared before and after the maintenance dose of treprostinil. The differences of demographic characteristics, surgical data and postoperative recovery were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 51 pediatric patients were included. Group 1 included 35 patients who received treprostinil at 1–3 postoperative days and an average dose of 12 ± 4 ng/(kg·min). Group 2 included 16 patients who received treprostinil within postoperative 1 day and an average dose of 22 ± 7 ng/(kg·min). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, weight, preoperative percutaneous oxygen saturation and mPAP, heterotaxy syndrome, TCPC procedure type, other concurrent procedure, cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp proportion (p > 0.05). After 24 h of treprostinil treatment, the mPAP in group 1 reduced from 17 ± 3 mmHg to 15 ± 2 mmHg (p < 0.001), and in group 2 from 17 ± 2 mmHg to 14 ± 2 mmHg (p < 0.001), with no difference between groups. In the postoperative recovery, patients in Group 2 exhibited a reduced duration of mechanical ventilation, 19 (11, 25) hours vs 69 (23, 189) hours, p = 0.001; a shorter stay in the ICU, 8 (6, 12) days vs 16 (9,26) days, p = 0.006; and a shorter postoperative length of stay, 27 (17,55) days vs 39 (29,58) days, p = 0.032. Patients in Group 2 also exhibited a lower incidence of thromboembolic events, 0 (0/26) vs 26% (9/35), p = 0.043; and the need for renal replacement therapy, 0 (0/26) vs 31% (11/35), p = 0.011. Conclusion: Treprostinil reduces pulmonary artery pressure after TCPC procedure. The standardized application of treprostinil may improve the postoperative recovery which should be proven by randomized controlled trials or matched cohort studies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pulmonary hypertension is a crucial factor affecting the recovery after Glenn procedure. This study explores the effects of intravenous treprostinil on hemodynamic status and hospital postoperative recovery under different administration strategies. Methods: We retrospectively included pediatric patients admitted to Fuwai Hospital from 2019 to 2022 who underwent the Glenn procedure and had intraoperative measurements of mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >15 mmHg postoperatively. Patients with non-anatomical single ventricle physiology undergoing the Glenn procedure and those requiring postoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were excluded. Due to the standardized use of treprostinil in our center starting in 2021, patients from 2019–2020 were included in Group 1, and patients from 2021–2022 were included in Group 2. The changes in hemodynamic data before and after medication for both groups of patients, as well as the differences in postoperative recovery, were compared. Results: Twenty-eight patients were eventually enrolled in the study. Group 1 consisted of 14 cases, with a maintenance dose of 11 ± 2 ng/(kg·min) 1 to 2 days postoperatively. Group 2 also consisted of 14 cases, with a maintenance dose of 26 ± 7 ng/(kg·min) 1 day postoperatively. After a 24-h observation period, the mPAP decreased from 17 ± 3 to 13 ± 3 mmHg (p < 0.001) in the first group and decreased from 18 ± 3 to 13 ± 3 mmHg (p < 0.001) in the second group. The vasoactive-inotropic score in the first group decreased from 9 (6,17) to 6 (4,9) (p = 0.001) and decreased from 12 (6,23) to 10 (3,15) (p = 0.002) in the second group. Group 2 patients had a shorter postoperative hospital stay than Group 1, with durations of 18 (11,22) days and 29 (19,47) days, respectively (p = 0.021). No severe adverse reactions occurred in all patients. Conclusion: Intravenous infusion of treprostinil in high-risk patients after the Glenn procedure can decrease pulmonary artery pressure, reduce vasoactive-inotropic score, and demonstrate satisfactory drug tolerance without severe adverse reactions. Standardized use of treprostinil facilitates postoperative recovery and shortens postoperative length of stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and additional cardiac or pulmonary comorbidities have a poor prognosis and are frequently excluded from clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to a range of World Symposium on PH (WSPH) groups treated with inhaled treprostinil (iTRE) in a real-world setting. Methods: Patients with PH who were started on treatment with iTRE at Duke University were classified by WSPH Group and included patients with Groups 1, 2, 3, combined Groups 2 and 3 (PH in the setting of left heart failure and chronic lung disease), Group 4, and Group 5 PH. Time to disease worsening, a composite of death, lung transplantation, or transition to intravenous prostacyclin was compared by WSPH Group, and iTRE treatment status using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex, and Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-Term PAH Disease Management Lite 2 risk score. Treatment with iTRE was defined as a time-varying covariate. Results: The cohort included 270 patients with PH: 30.6% Group 1; 10% Group 2; 32.2% Group 3; 11.1% combined Groups 2 and 3; and 15.9% with either Group 4 or 5 PH. At 3 and 6 months of follow-up, 24.8% and 38.9% of patients, respectively, were no longer treated with iTRE. Patients who discontinued treatment with iTRE had a significantly higher risk of disease worsening (adjusted hazard ratio: 5.02, 95% confidence interval: 3.44-7.31). There was no significant difference in disease worsening among WSPH Groups. Conclusions: In a real-world setting, many patients with PH secondary to a range of WSPH Groups tolerated treatment with iTRE. Future studies should phenotype patients with PH based on both comorbidities and therapeutic responsiveness.

Charles D Burger,1 Yuen Tsang,2 Marie Chivers,3 Riya Vijay Vekaria,3 Gurinderpal Doad,2,4 Nikki Atkins,3 Sumeet Panjabi2,4 1Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA; 2Janssen Scientific Affiars, Titusville, NJ, USA; 3Avalere Health, Fleet, UK; 4Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc, A Johnson and Johnson Co., Titusville, NJ, USACorrespondence: Marie Chivers, Avalere Health, Fleet, UK, Email MarieChivers@facilipharma.comPurpose: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and progressive pulmonary vascular disease that can result in right heart failure and death. Oral prostacyclins play an important role in the management of intermediate-low risk PAH. This targeted literature review (TLR) aimed to identify and compare evidence supporting use of oral prostacyclin pathway agents (PPAs: selexipag and oral treprostinil) in intermediate-low risk PAH.Methods: A targeted literature review was conducted. Literature databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane reviews) were searched for studies describing clinical practice and treatment outcomes for oral treprostinil and selexipag globally, published in English (2012 to 2022). Electronic searches were supplemented by manual-searches of targeted conferences (2020 to 2022), and reference lists of identified publications were reviewed. One reviewer assessed studies for eligibility.Results: In total, 95 publications met inclusion criteria: 47 full-text articles (selexipag n = 22; oral treprostinil n = 16; selexipag and oral treprostinil n = 9) and 48 conference materials. Selexipag and oral treprostinil target the prostacyclin pathway differently; their label-supporting trials had different primary endpoints (disease progression and hospitalization vs exercise capacity and disease progression), differing baseline therapy (0, 1 or 2 vs 0 or 1 baseline treatments), titration duration and dosing (personalized dose capped at 1600 ug twice daily (BID) vs increasing doses over time with no maximum dose), respectively. While both oral PPAs have demonstrated reduced risk of disease progression, only selexipag showed reduction in hospitalization rates. Oral PPAs have been shown to reduce healthcare costs in real-world clinical practice. This difference is reflected in labeled indications.Conclusion: Given differences in trial- and real-world outcomes, number of prior therapies, and dosing, personalizing the choice of oral PPA is critical to maximizing the benefit for individual patients.Plain Language Summary: PAH is a condition that causes heart failure. It is important to take medicines to slow down this process. For people with early disease, there are some medicines that can be taken as a tablet rather than as an injection to slow down disease progression. The differences between two of the tablet options – selexipag and oral treprostinil, are unclear. We reviewed publications describing how, when and why these medicines are used and how well they work, to improve our understanding of the value of these medicines to people with PAH.Keywords: treprostinil, selexipag, pulmonary hypertension, outcomes

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, debilitating lung disease with poor prognosis. Although two antifibrotics have been approved in the past decade there are no curative therapies. This review highlights the current landscape of IPF research in the development of novel compounds for the treatment of IPF while also evaluating repurposed medications and their role in the management of IPF. The literature search includes studies found on PubMed, conference abstracts, and press releases until March 2024. Disease progression in IPF is driven by a dysregulated cycle of microinjury, aberrant wound healing, and propagating fibrosis. Current drug development focuses on attenuating fibrotic responses via multiple pathways. Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors (PDE4i), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) antagonists, dual-selective inhibitor of αvβ6 and αvβ1 integrins, and the prostacyclin agonist Treprostinil have had supportive phase II clinical trial results in slowing decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) in IPF. Barriers to drug development specific to IPF include the lack of a rodent model that mimics IPF pathology, the nascent understanding of the role of genetics affecting development of IPF and response to treatment, and the lack of a validated biomarker to monitor therapeutic response in patients with IPF. Successful treatment of IPF will likely include a multi-targeted approach anchored in precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]