This Article Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sitbon, O. Articles by Simonneau, G.e. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sitbon, O. Articles by Simonneau, G.e.

Long-term intravenous epoprostenol infusion in primary pulmonary hypertension

Prognostic factors and survival

^* Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation, UPRES EA 2705 on Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Université Paris-Sud, Clamart, France

View larger version (20K): [in a new window]   Figure 1 Kaplan-Meier survival estimates in 178 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) from the initiation of epoprostenol (PGI2) therapy. For comparison, survival data are also shown for a historical control group of 135 patients with PPH matched for New York Heart Association functional class and who never received intravenous (IV) epoprostenol therapy. In the group of patients treated with PGI2 (solid line), the overall survival rates at one, two, three, and five years were 85%, 70%, 63%, and 55%, respectively, as compared with 58%, 43%, 33%, and 28% in the historical control group (dashed line) (p < 0.0001 by the Cox-Mantel log-rank test).

View larger version (20K): [in a new window]   Figure 2 Survival in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension treated with intravenous epoprostenol (PGI2) according to New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (FC). (A) Estimated percentages of survival for patients in NYHA FC IV at baseline (dashed line) were 76%, 60%, and 47% at one, two, and three years, respectively, as compared with 90%, 76%, and 71% for patients in NYHA FC III at baseline (solid line) (p = 0.001 by the Cox-Mantel log-rank test). (B) After three months of treatment with epoprostenol, survival rates for patients reclassified in NYHA FC I or II (solid line) were 100%, 93%, and 88% at one, two, and three years, respectively, as compared with 77%, 46%, and 33% for patients persisting in NYHA FC III or IV (dashed line) (p < 0.0001 by the Cox-Mantel log-rank test).

View larger version (18K): [in a new window]   Figure 3 (A) Kaplan-Meier survival estimates in 156 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), according to the results of the 6-min walk test (6’ WT) performed after three months of epoprostenol (PGI2) therapy. Survival rates for patients walking >380 m during the 6’ WT (corresponding to the median value) (solid line) were 99%, 88%, and 81% at one, two, and three years, respectively, as compared with 86%, 64%, and 56% for patients walking <380 m (dashed line) (p = 0.0005 by the Cox-Mantel log-rank test). (B) Kaplan-Meier survival estimates in 156 patients with PPH, according to the change () in the 6’ WT between baseline and three months of PGI2 therapy. No difference in survival was demonstrated in patients who improved their 6-min walk distance to >112 m (corresponding to the median value) (solid line), as compared with those who did not (dashed line) (p = 0.86 by the Cox-Mantel log-rank test).