Inhaled treprostinil improves exercise capacity in pulmonary hypertension due to ILD

Patients with pulmonary hypertension due to interstitial lung disease (ILD) had improvements in exercise capacity from baseline when treated with inhaled treprostinil, according to a study.

A total of 326 patients with interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension were randomized to receive inhaled treprostinil 4 times daily (n = 163) or placebo (n = 163). 

At week 16, patients in the treatment group had improvements from baseline in the 6-minute walk distance compared to those receiving placebo. N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels decreased 15% in patients treated with inhaled treprostinil compared with an increase of 46% with patients in the placebo group.

Clinical worsening occurred in 22.7% and 33.1% of patients in the treprostinil group and placebo group, respectively.

Adverse events were cough, headache, dyspnea, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and diarrhea

Reference
Waxman A, Restrepo-Jaramillo R, Thenappan T, et al. Inhaled treprostinil in pulmonary hypertension due to interstitial lung disease. N Engl J Med. 2021; 384:325-334. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2008470