EmPHasis-10 as a measure of health-related quality of life in pulmonary arterial hypertension: data from PHAR.

Introduction: While the performance of the emPHasis-10 (e10) score has been evaluated against limited patient characteristics within the United Kingdom, there is an unmet need for exploring the performance of the e10 score among pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients in the United States.

Methods: Using the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry, we evaluated relationships between the e10 score and demographic, functional, haemodynamic and additional clinical characteristics at baseline and over time. Furthermore, we derived a minimally important difference (MID) estimate for the e10 score.

Association between elevated whole blood Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNA EBV polymerase chain reaction and reduced incidence of acute lung allograft rejection.

Background: Accurate functional assessment of patient immunosuppression after solid-organ transplantation remains elusive. Despite therapeutic serum immunosuppressive drug levels many lung transplant recipients still develop allograft rejection. We investigated the hypothesis that detection of latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in peripheral blood may be a functional marker for the net effects of administered immunosuppression.

Health-related quality of life in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Improved outcomes with expanding treatment options for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension present the opportunity to consider additional end-points in approaching therapy, including factors that influence health-related quality of life. However, comparatively little is known about health-related quality of life and its determinants in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods: Health-related quality of life was evaluated in a cross sectional study of 155 outpatients with pulmonary arterial hypertension using generic and respiratory-disease specific measurement tools.