News

RNA Molecule FGF21 May Be Therapeutic Target

The blood levels of a signaling molecule called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are significantly reduced in people with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (PH) and in mice with hypoxia-induced PH, a study shows. Hypoxia refers to low oxygen conditions and chronic hypoxia is a common cause of PH. Also, treatment with…

Levels of Cytokines Differ Between Sexes With PAH, Study Suggests

The levels of blood-circulating inflammatory molecules differ between men and women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and correlate with disease severity, a study suggests. Notably, the levels of two proteins — called IL-6 and MIP-1alpha — were predictors of poorer survival statistics. These findings suggest that patient stratification may…

Gut Microbiota May Be Linked to Inflammation in CTEPH Patients

The gut microbiota of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) differs from that of healthy individuals, and this perhaps explains why there also is more inflammation, a Japanese study found. The findings provide new information on the way CTEPH may develop. The study, “Altered gut microbiota and…

Organizations Rally to Help Ukrainian Rare Disease Patients

A Russian military plane crash near Tetiana Zamorska’s home in Kyiv, Ukraine, was a sign that it was time for her and her family to leave. The treacherous, 34-hour pilgrimage that ultimately brought the group of eight by car to temporary accommodations in neighboring Poland last month was physically and emotionally difficult,…

ISHLT Foundation Will Fund PH, Transplant Research Efforts

The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) has launched the ISHLT Foundation, a new organization that will serve as ISHLT’s charitable arm to fund research grants and awards to improve patient care for advanced heart and lung diseases, including pulmonary hypertension (PH). In PH, high…

Mental Health Disorders Impair Quality of Life for CTEPH Patients

Nearly a third of individuals with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) live with mental health disorders that impair their overall quality of life, a study in Germany has found. The significant impact of panic disorder, major depression, and other mental disorders on life quality suggests that adequate screening tools…