Effect of ambrisentan on echocardiographic and Doppler measures from patients in China with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract

Background: We retrospectively evaluated the echocardiographic data of ambrisentan-treated patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (NCT01808313). Methods: Change from baseline in right ventricle (RV) systolic function, right heart structure, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) prognosis to Weeks 12 and 24 was evaluated by echocardiography. Results: In the overall population, the mean tissue Doppler-derived tricuspid lateral annular systolic velocity (S’) increased by 0.6 cm/s at both Weeks 12 (p ' 0.001) and 24 (p = 0.004) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion increased by 0.13 cm at Week 12 and 0.15 cm at Week 24 (both p ' 0.001). A marked decrease in transverse and longitudinal RV and RA diameter at Weeks 12 and 24 was observed. A significant decrease in diastolic eccentricity index at both Weeks 12 (−0.1; p = 0.02) and 24 (−0.1; p = 0.001). The decrease in PASP from baseline was significant at both Weeks 12 (−9.5 mmHg; p'0.001) and 24 (-7.6 mmHg; p'0.001), while a decrease in the estimated right atrium pressure was found to be significant at Week 24 (−0.8mmHg; p = 0.01). Conclusion: Significant improvements in a number of RV echocardiographic parameters were observed at Weeks 12 and 24 after ambrisentan treatment in patients with PAH.