First, there has been no placebo-controlled randomized trial that

First, there has been no placebo-controlled randomized trial that has assessed the effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy in patients with PAH. Available data were derived from small, retrospective,

and single centre studies. Second, available literature is restricted to idiopathic PAH with almost no published evidence for Linsitinib price other types of PAH. Accordingly, the generalizability of survival benefit reported in idiopathic PAH patients to other types of PAH (eg, scleroderma associated PAH) remains controversial. Third, there is lack of data on the added benefit of anticoagulant therapy in patients receiving modern PAH-target therapy. Fourth, little data exist regarding the risk stratification of bleeding in PAH patient receiving anticoagulant therapy. Currently, the European Society of Cardiology and the European Respiratory Society recommend that anticoagulant treatment should be considered in patients with idiopathic PAH, heritable PAH, and PAH due to use of anorexigens (Class IIa), with a lower level of recommendation in patients with associated PAH (Class IIb). 6 The American College of Chest Physicians clinical guidelines support the use of anticoagulation

with a grade “B” recommendation (a moderate recommendation) based on fair level of evidence in idiopathic PAH patients, and weak recommendation based on expert opinion only for other PAH types. 7 Anticoagulation In Pah: Data From Compera Registry The database of the Comparative, Prospective Registry of Newly Initiated Therapies for Pulmonary Hypertension

(COMPERA), 8 was recently analyzed to assess the effect of anticoagulation on the long-term survival in patients with various forms of PAH. COMPERA is an ongoing prospective European pulmonary hypertension registry that began in 2007 with the contribution of 41 pulmonary hypertension centers from 7 European countries. The study analyzed the data of 1283 patients with newly diagnosed PAH based on right heart catheterization. Patients who received anticoagulation at any time during the registry were grouped into the anticoagulation group (n = 738; Batimastat 58%), whereas patients who never received anticoagulation were grouped into the no anticoagulation group (n = 545; 42%). According to type of PAH, anticoagulation was used in 66% of 800 patients with idiopathic PAH, and in 43% of 483 patients with other forms of PAH. Vitamin K antagonists were used in 93% of patients followed by heparins (6%) and new oral anticoagulants (1%). In idiopathic PAH patients, during the 3-year follow-up period, the mortality rate in anticoagulation group was 14.2%, versus 21% in the no anticoagulation group (survival advantage, p = 0.006). This survival benefit occurred despite the fact that patients in the anticoagulation group had worse baseline hemodynamics.

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