[Myocardial infarction in a patient with a single ventricle of the heart].

A clinical case of myocardial infarction in a patient with single ventricle heart defect is described.

[Influence of demographic characteristics on the clinical course and results of therapy in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension].

AIM: To assess the clinical course of the disease and the features of the treatment goals achievement in patients with IPAH and inoperable CTEPH depending on gender and age at the time of diagnosis verification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 88 patients with IPAH and 38 patients with inoperable CTEPH with a PAWP 12 mm Hg and the duration of PAH-specific therapy treatment more than 12 months. IPAH/CTEPH patients were divided into groups depending on age at the time of diagnosis verification: age 50 years (n=69)/ 50 years (n=57), and gender: 106 women/20 men. RESULTS: Patients with age 50 years at the time of diagnosis verification have significantly more severe functional class (WHO). In IPAH/CTEPH male patients a significant hemodynamic disorder also as significantly higher level of NT-proBNP at the time of diagnosis verification were observed. In men with IPAH/CTEPH and patients aged 50 years more pronounced deterioration of right ventricular systolic function was observed (ECHO). Patients with IPAH younger than 50 years were significantly more likely to achieve the treatment goals by the median 26.5 months of treatment compared to the patients aged 50 years (21% vs 6.45%). Men with IPAH/CTEPH were significantly more likely to have a high risk of death (90%) at baseline compared to the women (61%). CONCLUSION: IPAH/inoperable CTEPH patients with male sex, as well as the age 50 years and older at the time of diagnosis verification, compared with younger ones, are associated with a less favorable course of the disease.

[Features of clinical, functional and hemodynamics profile, medical treatment and prognosis evaluation in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension according to the Russian registry].

AIM: to perform the complex analysis of clinical, functional, hemodynamics profile in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) compared to the idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) group at the time of diagnosis verification according to the Russian registry, and to evaluate the features of medical therapy and it's influence on prognosis in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the retrospective study 193 patients with IPAH and 130 patients with inoperable CTEPH older than 18 years were included. All included patients were the participants of Russian registry (www.medibase.pro) in 15 Russian expert centers during the period from 01.01.2012 to 31.12.2018 year. The diagnosis was verified according to the algorithm, reflected in the Russian guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of PH and CTEPH (2016 year). The comparison analysis of clinical, functional, hemodynamics parameters in patients with IPAH and inoperable CTEPH was made. RESULTS: The status of 193 patients with IPAH (32 male and 162 female) and 130 patients with inoperable CTEPH - (40 male and 90 female) was analyzed during the study. The CTEPH patients were older compared to the IPAH patients: 52.2 [41.1; 60.6] and 36.5 [26.8; 36.5] years, respectively. The median period since symptom occurrence till CTEPH verification was 1.08 [0.2; 3.1] years, in IPAH patients - 2.01 [0.6; 4.2] years. More than 80% of inoperable CTEPH patients had III and IV functional class (FC) according to the World Health Organization classification at the time of diagnosis verification versus 61% of IPAH patients. According to echocardiography the level of mean pulmonary arterial pressure was comparable in two groups of PH patients. However in inoperable CTEPH patients the right atrial area was larger. The significantly higher value of mean pulmonary arterial pressure and lower value oxygen saturation of arterial blood according to the right heart catheterization were revealed. The 5-year survival in CTEPH patients, receiving initial dual combination therapy in 75% cases (in 40% - combination of riociguat and iloprost ) was 93% versus 86.5% in patients with IPAH. CONCLUSION: It was revealed, that inoperable CTEPH patients were significantly older with severe functional and hemodynamics status at the time of diagnosis verification, although with higher level of 5-year survival compared to the IPAH patients according to the Russian registry.

The economic burden of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Russian Federation.

AIM: The aim of current study was to estimate the economic burden of the chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in Russia based on patient registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cost of illness study was based on data derived from CTEPH patient registry that was developed at the Division of hypertension of FSBI "National Medical Research Center of Cardiology". Demographic and clinical patient characteristics were analyzed with descriptive statistic methods. Cost of illness study was performed from the state perspective and with bottom-up approach. Bootstrapping was used for calculation of average costs per patient/year. Within the study direct costs (medical costs: outpatient, inpatient, emergency, PAH-specific therapy, concomitant therapy; non-medical costs: pension due to disability status, payments for patients on sick-leave) and indirect costs (loss in GDP) were estimated. RESULTS: Overall, 113 CTEPH patients (67 women and 46 men) from 33 Russian regions were included, mean age of patients with CTEPH was 54.6±13.95 years. Most of the patients (55%) were in able-bodied age. It was found that about half of patients with diagnosed CTEPH had a disability. Average duration of disease at the time of analysis was 6.88±11.41 years. Period from the first occurrence of symptoms to the confirmation of diagnosis of CTEPH was 2.58±5.21 years on average. More than 70% of patients had III and IV FC (WHO) at the time of diagnosis. Mean number of outpatient visits was 1.97±1.65 per patient/year, and inpatient visits were reported for 59% of patients. About 54% of patients used PAH-specific therapy, moreover 46% patients had interruptions of PAH-specific therapy (58.4±66.3 days). The total costs of CTEPH per patient/year were calculated as 805,901 RUB. The overall burden of CTEPH in Russia for total CTEPH population (470 patients) was 379 million RUB per year. CONCLUSION: CTEPH is the rare disease that is characterized with later diagnosis due to absence of disease-specific symptoms. Therefore economic burden of the CTEPH is significantly low in comparison to widespread cardiovascular diseases. Development of network of expert PH-centers and increase of the access for PAH-specific therapy will help to increase the quality of health care for patients with CTEPH.

Modern view on the place of riociguat in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.

Current research is aimed at studying the fundamental therapeutic targets and discovering new drugs acting on previously set targets. Until recently, the only therapeutic strategy to influence the molecular pathway of nitric oxide (NO) - soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) - cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was the use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5 inhibitors), such as sildenafil. In September 2014, the first member of sGC stimulators riociguat was licensed in Russia. In the paper, the results of 5 multicenter studies (CHEST-1 and PATENT-1, CHEST-2 and PATENT-2, RESPITE), which reflect the effectiveness and safety of mono - and combination therapy with riociguat in patients suffer from some forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension, and patients with inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTPH), as well as the possibility of optimizing therapy in patients with PAH using iPDE-5 -> riociguat switching was reviewed. It also provides information on the recently launched international registries EXPERT CTEPH; new REPLACE study was announced.