PMID- 11711462
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20011217
LR  - 20190503
IS  - 1468-201X (Electronic)
IS  - 1355-6037 (Print)
IS  - 1355-6037 (Linking)
VI  - 86
IP  - 6
DP  - 2001 Dec
TI  - Long term treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension with beraprost, an oral 
      prostacyclin analogue.
PG  - 661-5
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of one year's treatment with beraprost, an 
      orally active prostacyclin analogue, in patients with severe pulmonary 
      hypertension. PATIENTS: 13 patients with severe pulmonary hypertension. This was 
      primary in nine, thromboembolic in three, and caused by Eisenmenger syndrome in 
      one. METHODS: All patients underwent right heart catheterisation. Mean (SD) right 
      atrial pressure was 5 (3) mm Hg, mean pulmonary artery pressure was 48 (12) mm 
      Hg, cardiac index was 2.6 (0.8) l/min/m(2), and mixed venous oxygen saturation 
      was 68 (7)%. Beraprost was started at the dose of 20 microgram three to four 
      times a day (1 microgram/kg/day), increasing after one month to 40 microgram 
      three to four times a day (2 microgram/kg/day), with further increases of 20 
      microgram three to four times a day in case of clinical deterioration. MAIN 
      OUTCOME MEASURES: New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, exercise 
      capacity measured by distance walked in six minutes, and systolic pulmonary 
      pressure (by echocardiography) were evaluated at baseline, after one month's 
      treatment, and then every three months for a year. RESULTS: After the first month 
      of treatment, NYHA class decreased from 3.4 (0.7) to 2.9 (0.7) (p < 0.05), the 
      six minute walking distance increased from 213 (64) to 276 (101) m (p < 0.05), 
      and systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 93 (15) to 85 (18) mm Hg 
      (NS). One patient died after 40 days from refractory right heart failure, and 
      another was lost for follow up at six months. The 11 remaining patients had 
      persistent improvements in functional class and exercise capacity and a 
      significant decrease in systolic pulmonary artery pressure in the period from 
      1-12 months. Side effects were minor. CONCLUSIONS: Oral administration of 
      beraprost may result in long lasting clinical and haemodynamic improvements in 
      patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.
FAU - Vizza, C D
AU  - Vizza CD
AD  - Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, University La Sapienza, 
      Rome, Italy.
FAU - Sciomer, S
AU  - Sciomer S
FAU - Morelli, S
AU  - Morelli S
FAU - Lavalle, C
AU  - Lavalle C
FAU - Di Marzio, P
AU  - Di Marzio P
FAU - Padovani, D
AU  - Padovani D
FAU - Badagliacca, R
AU  - Badagliacca R
FAU - Vestri, A R
AU  - Vestri AR
FAU - Naeije, R
AU  - Naeije R
FAU - Fedele, F
AU  - Fedele F
LA  - eng
PT  - Clinical Trial
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - England
TA  - Heart
JT  - Heart (British Cardiac Society)
JID - 9602087
RN  - 0 (Vasodilator Agents)
RN  - 35E3NJJ4O6 (beraprost)
RN  - DCR9Z582X0 (Epoprostenol)
SB  - IM
CIN - Heart. 2001 Dec;86(6):603-4. PMID: 11711446
MH  - Administration, Oral
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Blood Pressure/physiology
MH  - Child
MH  - Eisenmenger Complex/complications
MH  - Epoprostenol/*administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives
MH  - Exercise Test
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Hypertension, Pulmonary/*drug therapy/etiology/physiopathology
MH  - Long-Term Care
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Prospective Studies
MH  - Thromboembolism/complications
MH  - Vasodilator Agents/*administration & dosage
PMC - PMC1730044
EDAT- 2001/11/17 10:00
MHDA- 2002/01/05 10:01
PMCR- 2004/12/01
CRDT- 2001/11/17 10:00
PHST- 2001/11/17 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2002/01/05 10:01 [medline]
PHST- 2001/11/17 10:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2004/12/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 10.1136/heart.86.6.661 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Heart. 2001 Dec;86(6):661-5. doi: 10.1136/heart.86.6.661.