A long noncoding RNA molecule (lncRNA) — a long segment of RNA that regulates protein production in the body — may activate or inhibit genes associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to researchers in China. In their study, a lncRNA was found at higher levels in children with…
Certain genes are differentially expressed, meaning they have different activity, in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) whose right side of the heart fails to work as it should, a study found. Researchers believe that those genes, generally involved in regulating the electrical properties of the heart’s muscle cells,…
About 1 in 4 people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) have right ventricle (RV) energy failure — when one of the heart’s lower chambers fails to provide enough energy to push blood to the lungs — a Turkish study found. Researchers also observed that people with RV energy failure were…
Low blood levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are associated with right heart failure in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a study reports. Experiments in mouse models of PH, however, suggest that the low BDNF levels are a consequence, and not the cause, of right heart failure. The…
A noninvasive measure of heart and blood vessel function called the TAPSE/PASP ratio could help prioritize people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who may benefit most from a lung transplant, according to a new study. “We demonstrated that the echocardiographic index of TAPSE/PASP … was lower in patients who…
Researchers have identified a significant risk factor that affects the prognosis of people with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in a large 26-year study. They found that elevated left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP), a measure of left heart function, was common in patients and predicted worse outcomes. Pulmonary hypertension…
Referral to a specialized chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) center for follow-up treatment after a pulmonary embolism (PE) — a blood clot that blocks an artery in the lungs — is more likely if patients live closer to the center and have access to a primary healthcare provider, a…
Four genes associated with the metabolism of copper in the body have been identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a new study reports. Researchers used computer software tools to look for specific genes tied to copper metabolism that may serve as less-invasive markers for diagnosing…
Adding sotatercept to standard therapies significantly improved the six-minute walking distance by more than 40 meters (131 feet) compared with a placebo among adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This finding met the primary goal of STELLAR, a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the impact of 24 weeks, or…
An investigational once-daily therapy, a single tablet combining macitentan and tadalafil, significantly improved pulmonary blood flow compared with macitentan or tadalafil alone in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients taking part in the Phase 3 A DUE study. Because these medications target different PAH-related pathways, current guidelines recommend initially treating…
The accumulation of aggrecan, a protein found abundantly in cartilage, may be an early response to injury in the lungs of people with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, a study suggests. Aggrecan accumulated preferentially in blood vessel lesions marked by high blood pressure in the lungs of idiopathic PAH (IPAH)…
Team PHenomenal Hope — Team PH — a nonprofit organization seeking to raise awareness about pulmonary hypertension (PH), has launched an educational website for people newly diagnosed or who are living with the rare disease. The site, called Learn Live Breathe PH, was launched Feb. 28 in…
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