This study introduces novel cospray-dried (Co-SD) formulations of simvastatin, a Nrf2 activator ROCK inhibitor, with l-carnitine as molecular mixtures in various molar ratios for targeted pulmonary inhalation aerosol delivery in pulmonary hypertension, optimized for excipient-free dry powder inhalers (DPIs). The two components were spray-dried at various molar ratios by using different starting feed solution concentrations and process parameters. In addition to comprehensive physicochemical characterization, in vitro aerosol dispersion performance as DPIs using two FDA-approved DPI devices with different shear stress properties, in vitro viability as a function of dose on 2D human pulmonary cellular monolayers and on 3D small airway epithelia human primary cultures at the air-liquid interface (ALI), and in vitro transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) at the ALI were conducted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol
January 2025
Pediatric pulmonary hypertension is a heterogeneous disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. MicroRNAs have been implicated as both pathologic drivers of disease and potential therapeutic targets in pediatric pulmonary hypertension. We sought to characterize the circulating microRNA profiles of a diverse array of pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension using high-throughput sequencing technology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To investigate the feasibility of using actigraphy to measure physical activity (pA) and heart rate variability (HRV) as study endpoints in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and to compare their performance to 6-minute-walk distance (6MWD), a common primary endpoint used in PAH clinical trials in adults and children who can walk and understand the test process.
Study Design: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, noninterventional study in pediatric PAH patients and healthy children. Actiheart and Fitbit Charge 2 recorded pA and heart rate data.