Oral sildenafil treatment for Eisenmenger syndrome: a prospective, open-label, multicentre study.

Background: Although sildenafil has been shown to be safe and effective in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and PAH related to connective tissue disease, its effects in Eisenmenger syndrome are less clear.

Objective: To investigate whether long-term treatment (12 months) with the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor sildenafil improves clinical and haemodynamic parameters in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome.

Design: Prospective, open-label, multicentre study.

[The efficacy and safety of bosentan therapy for Chinese patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension: an open-label, prospective multicenter study].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerance of bosentan, a dual endothelin receptor antagonist, in Chinese patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH).

Methods: Totally 79 IPAH patients (hemodynamic criteria confirmed by right heart catheterization) were included in this open-label, prospective multicenter study. Patients received 62.

Survival of Chinese patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension in the modern treatment era.

Background: In a previous study of Chinese patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) in the nontargeted therapy era (defined as the time before 2006 when new pulmonary arterial hypertension-specific drugs were not available in China), we reported 1- and 3-year survival estimates of only 68% and 39%, respectively. However, it is not yet known whether the survival of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension is improved in the modern treatment era (defined in China as after 2006).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken in 276 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed incident IPAH and connective tissue disease-related pulmonary arterial hypertension (CTDPAH) who were referred between 2007 and 2009.

[Diagnosis value of electrocardiogram in patients with pulmonary artery hypertension].

Objectives: To analyze the diagnostic value of electrocardiogram (ECG) in patients with pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) confirmed by right-heart catheterization (RHC).

Methods: A total of 64 patients with suspected PAH [sPAP > or = 36 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) estimated by echocardiography] were enrolled in this study.

[Clinical efficacy of intravenous L-carnitine in patients with right-sided heart failure induced by pulmonary arterial hypertension].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of L-carnitine in patients with right-sided heart failure induced by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods: A total of 66 pulmonary arterial hypertension patients (14 idiopathic, 36 congenital heart disease associated and 16 connective-tissue disease associated PAH, WHO heart functional class III, n = 38 or IV, n = 28) were enrolled in this study and divided into control group (26 cases) and L-carnitine group (40 cases). All patients received conventional treatment according to guideline for treatment of right-sided heart failure.