Updates in pulmonary hypertension treatments, FDA approvals and more from 2020

The Healio editors have compiled a list of the most-read pulmonary arterial hypertension news published in 2020.

Highlights from the past year include new inhaled therapies for PAH; a study that found gut bacteria may predict the presence of PAH; feasibility of ultrasound pulmonary denervation; initial triple therapy vs. double therapy; and more. Read these articles, and others, below in no particular order.

Inhaled treprostinil improves outcomes in ILD-associated pulmonary hypertension

Inhaled treprostinil was well tolerated and significantly improved exercise capacity and other clinical outcomes over 16 weeks in patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease, according to results of the INCREASE study. Read more

FDA grants breakthrough device designation for novel pulmonary hypertension system

The FDA granted breakthrough device designation for the Aria CV Pulmonary Hypertension System, according to a company press release. Read more

Gut bacteria linked to PAH

Recent data published in Hypertension demonstrated that a unique profile of gut bacteria can predict the presence of pulmonary artery hypertension in patients with 83% accuracy. Read more

Sotatercept decreases pulmonary vascular resistance in PAH: PULSAR

In the phase 2 PULSAR trial, treatment with sotatercept for 24 weeks resulted in greater reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance than placebo in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension on stable background therapies. Read more

Ultrasound pulmonary denervation reduces pulmonary vascular resistance in PAH

Among patients with pulmonary artery hypertension, intravascular ultrasound pulmonary artery denervation was associated with reductions in pulmonary vascular resistance and increases in 6-minute walk distance and daily activity, according to an early feasibility study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. Read more

Obesity, overweight worsen health-related quality of life in patients with PAH

Obesity and overweight were associated with worse health-related quality of life and increased risk for hospitalization in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, researchers reported in Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Read more

Inhaled nitric oxide at higher dose shows benefit in pulmonary hypertension, fibrotic ILD

Pulsed, inhaled nitric oxide at a higher dose was safe and well tolerated, and resulted in improvements in physical activity and other outcomes in patients at risk for pulmonary hypertension-associated fibrotic interstitial lung disease. Read more

Initial triple therapy vs. double may improve outcomes in newly diagnosed PAH: TRITON

In patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary arterial hypertension, initial triple oral therapy, compared with double therapy, both improved hemodynamics, NT-proBNP and functional capacity, with no difference between strategies at 26 weeks. Read more

PAH outcomes improved in specialty care centers

Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension treated in a specialty care center had improved mortality and hospitalization, according to new data published in CHEST. Read more

Inhaled formulation of vardenafil for as-needed use shows promise in PAH

An inhaled formulation of the PDE5 inhibitor vardenafil, in development for as-needed use for episodic symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension, yielded improvements in pulmonary hemodynamics, according to results of a phase 2a trial. Read more