Learning and research

Telehealth utilization increased during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which encouraged remote patient management. The identification of optimal strategies to enhance telehealth and address barriers to its use for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) may improve patient outcomes. 

In this Community Call, we discussed:

• Epicardial adipose tissue as an independent risk factor for mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Morbidity and mortality associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension in a schistosomiasis‐endemic region of Brazil

When performing cardiac catheterization in pediatric outpatients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH), our approach is to allow spontaneous ventilation, minimize procedural length, and evaluate for same-day discharge whenever safe and feasible. We describe our experience with this approach and identify clinical characteristics that influenced procedural safety. 

Lung vasculature arises from both pulmonary and systemic (bronchial) circulations. Remodeling and structural changes in lung vasculature have been recognized in end-stage fibrotic lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) but have not been well characterized. 

Overweight and obesity have emerged as modifiable risk factors for right ventricular (RV) phenotypic changes, but their genetic relationship remains unclear. This study examined RV phenotypes using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in European participants from the UK Biobank without overt heart disease. 

Juvenile systemic sclerosis (jSSc) associated pulmonary hypertension (PH) is rare, but, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in jSSc. This is a case of a 10-year-old girl whose initial presentation of positive U3-RNP antibody jSSc included diffuse skin findings, severe pulmonary arterial hypertension, and right ventricular failure. 

This study aimed to investigate the vascular effects of a radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) applied in the lung ischemia and reperfusion (IR) model on the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (Hif-1α)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway and B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2)/BCL-2 associated X protein (BAX) signaling.

Lung transplantation (LT) is a well-established therapeutic option for patients with advanced chronic respiratory diseases. This study aims to assess the prevalence and clinical impact of Group 2 pulmonary hypertension (PHg2) in LT recipients, comparing it with Group 3 pulmonary hypertension (PHg3).

Single-center pilot study suggests a threefold increase in self-reported history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) among women with subsequent diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Females with PAH and a history of APO were younger and had higher mean pulmonary artery pressures at diagnosis compared to those without a history of APO.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) requires lifelong medication, with patients taking an average of 12 tablets/day. Several chronic diseases can be treated with a fixed-dose combination (FDC) tablet, decreasing patient pill burden and increasing adherence.