Pulmonology Medical News about pulmonary hypertension

Become a Member Today!
Register

Most Viewed Abstracts

1. Report Shows Shift in Starting Salaries for Physicians

2. 2008 Exclusive Survey—Earnings: Good news for primary care income

3. Medicare pay-for-reporting effort draws fire from frustrated doctors

4. Debunking Myths in the US Healthcare System

5. EGFR inhibitors as first-line therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Your Article Summary

See Latest Articles

(Click the title below to leave the MDLinx Network and go to the Journal's Website)

Endothelin receptor antagonists for pulmonary hypertension in adult patients with sickle cell disease
British Journal of Haematology, 10/05/09

Minniti CP et al. – Pulmonary Hypertension is a serious complication of sickle cell disease (SCD), with high morbidity and mortality. Endothelin (ET)–1, a potent vasoconstrictor elevated in SCD, acts through the ET receptors (ETR), ETR–A and ETR–B. Bosentan and ambrisentan are ETR blockers used in primary pulmonary hypertension. These data suggest preliminary evidence for the benefit of bosentan and ambrisentan in pulmonary hypertension in SCD.

Exclusive Author Commentary
Gregory J. Kato, 10/06/09

Endothelin-1 receptor antagonists are already approved to treat pulmonary hypertension in the general population, but patients with sickle cell disease and pulmonary hypertension pose special therapeutic challenges. In this series of 14 patients with sickle cell disease and pulmonary hypertension proven by right heart catheterization, endothelin receptor antagonists had a side effect profile comparable to the general population. Cardiopulmonary performance was improved by 11%, as indicated by six minute walk distance, with other indicators trending toward improvement as well. This finding is of particular interest in sickle cell disease, because endothelin receptor blockade has been shown to limit hypoxia-induced organ dysfunction in a mouse model of sickle cell disease. There also has been a single anecdotal report of a sickle cell patient with a 28-year history of chronic leg ulcer that healed within 3 weeks of initiating the endothelin receptor blocker bosentan. Endothelin receptor antagonists may have a potential role in the treatment of sickle cell disease and pulmonary hypertension.

<< Previous
Severe community-acquired pneumonia

Next >>
Occupational Asthma & Allergy in Snow Crab Processing in...

Sarcoidosis-Associated Fibrosing Mediastinitis with Resultant Pulmonary Hypertension: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Respiration, 10/06/09 Relevance Score: 70%

Role of Epidermal Growth Factor Inhibition in Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 10/27/09 Relevance Score: 69%

New finding could lead to cure of pulmonary arterial hypertension
Internet Source, 10/26/09 Relevance Score: 69%

The Use of Sildenafil in Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn
American Journal of Perinatology, 10/28/09 Relevance Score: 68%

Successful Two-Stage Correction of Ventricular Septal Defect and Patent Ductus Arteriosus in a Patient with Fixed Pulmonary Hypertension
Pediatric Cardiology, 10/22/09 Relevance Score: 68%