In celebration of World PH Day, global advocates promote awareness, finding a cure

World Pulmonary Hypertension Day is May 5 and is recognized among global organizations and groups to raise awareness about pulmonary hypertension and honor those living with this often-misdiagnosed disease.

According to the World PH Day website, PH organizations celebrate this day by promoting early diagnosis, treatment access and research, as well as by encouraging holistic care through treatment of physical, psychological and social aspects of PH.

Highlighting the importance of research ties in with this year’s theme, “United to Cure PH,” which was announced by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.

In recognition of World PH Day, Healio editors have compiled a list of relevant news stories posted since last year, which feature studies about improved survival, treatments and risks associated with the disease, as well as a Q&A about high-dose inhaled treprostinil for PH-associated interstitial lung disease.

Recent systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary hypertension patients show better survival

Patients diagnosed with systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary hypertension in the last 10 years had better survival than those diagnosed prior, according to results published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more.

Q&A: Treating pulmonary hypertension-ILD with high-dose inhaled treprostinil

Inhaled treprostinil is used to treat pulmonary hypertension with interstitial lung disease, and a study recently found that higher doses led to better clinical outcomes than a lower dose or placebo. Read more.

Chest sensors allow remote 6-minute walk testing for patients with pulmonary hypertension

Chest sensors that measured heart rate and accelerometry enabled patients with pulmonary artery hypertension to undergo 6-minute walk tests remotely with similar data as those collected in clinic, according to study results in CHEST. Read more.

Macitentan demonstrates safety in real-world patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Macitentan showed no new safety signals in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension from two real-world datasets, according to a study published in Pulmonary Circulation. Read more.

Patients with pulmonary hypertension at high risk for acute kidney injury

Patients admitted with background secondary pulmonary hypertension may have an increased risk for acute kidney injury and adverse outcomes, according to a presenter at the CHEST Annual Meeting. Read more.

Initiating selexipag within 12 months of PAH diagnosis may reduce hospitalizations, costs

Initiation of oral selexipag within 12 months of pulmonary arterial hypertension diagnosis may reduce all-cause hospitalizations and overall medical costs, according to a new analysis. Read more.

Adjusting for esophageal pressure in obesity may lower pulmonary hypertension risk

Adjusting pulmonary hemodynamics for esophageal pressure in patients with obesity and high pulmonary artery wedge pressure reduced the risk for postcapillary pulmonary hypertension diagnosis, according to findings published in CHEST. Read more.

COVID-19 leads to high in-hospital mortality for patients with pulmonary hypertension

In a cohort of patients with chronic precapillary pulmonary hypertension, the rates of in-hospital mortality for those who contracted COVID-19 were more than 40%, according to a study in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more.

Novel blood test predicts worse survival in PAH

A novel blood test that measures elevated circulating cell-free DNA may be used to evaluate disease severity and predict worse survival in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, according to new data published in Circulation. Read more.

Women with PAH have ‘unique challenges’ around sexual health-related quality of life

A new study published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society highlights significant burdens and challenges regarding sexual health-related quality of life for women with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Read more.

References:

• What is World PH Day? https://worldphday.org/about-world-ph-day/. Accessed May 4, 2023.
• World Pulmonary Hypertension Day 2023. https://phassociation.org/worldphday/. Accessed May 4, 2023.