Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind, Multicenter, Parallel Group Study to Assess the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Bosentan in Patients With Symptomatic Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Sickle Cell Disease
Brief Summary: The study will assess the effect of bosentan on pulmonary vascular resistance and exercise capacity in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension. It consists of 3 phases: screening, treatment and follow-up. During the screening visit, the study doctor will decide if patients meet the study requirements. All potential patients will have a diagnosis of increased pulmonary artery pressures that is shown by right heart catheterization conducted shortly prior to start of study treatment. Patients will be asked to perform exercise capacity test (walking as far as possible for 6 minutes). Following the baseline visit the treatment phase consists of 4 additional clinic visits during which the good and bad effects of the drug are reviewed and exercise capacity test will be repeated. Patients will be treated for 16 weeks. Blood samples will be collected every month, or more often, if needed. At the end of the study some of the patients will be asked to repeat the right heart catheterization. All patients will repeat an exercise capacity test. After completion of the study, patients will have the option of enrolling in a long-term follow-up study where all patients will receive active drug. Patients electing not to participate in the extension study will be followed up for safety assessments for about 28 days after the end of the study treatment.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria: Screening Criteria:

1. Males or females ≥ 12 years of age with a documented history of SCD
2. Patients with symptomatic PAH associated with shortness of breath
3. Patients with tricuspid regurgitation jet (TRJ) velocity of \> 2.9 m/sec based on echo/Doppler conducted within 6 months prior to randomization and not during SCD crisis
4. Signed written informed consent is obtained from the patient or patient's parent/legal representative prior to initiation of any study related procedure

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with hemoglobin (Hb) SS or Hb S/β0 genotype and with Hb A ≤ 10%
2. Six-minute walk test (6MWT) distance ≥ 150 m and ≤ 450 m
3. PAH confirmed by right heart catheterization (RHC) performed at the study site within 3 months of the randomization visit and defined as:

   * Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mmHg
   * Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≤ 15 mmHg measured by RHC or left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) ≤ 15 mmHg measured by left heart catheterization, if PCWP measurement is not reliable
   * Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) at rest ≥ 160 dyn.sec/cm5
4. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative result on their serum pregnancy test and use reliable methods of contraception during study treatment and for 3 months after study treatment termination

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Left ventricular ejection fraction \< 40% (echo/Doppler)
2. Systolic blood pressure \< 85 mmHg
3. Uncontrolled hypertension with systolic blood pressure \>160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mmHg
4. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second divided by forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) \< 0.5
5. Total lung capacity (TLC) \< 50% of normal predicted value
6. Significant cardiac disease: ischemic, valvular, constrictive
7. Hemoglobin concentration \< 6.0 g/dL at the time of randomization
8. Acute liver disease
9. Evidence of cirrhosis or portal hypertension on a liver ultrasound or biopsy
10. ALT ≥ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) and/or albumin \< 2.8 g/dL
11. Acute or chronic impairment (other than dyspnea), limiting the ability to comply with study requirements (in particular with 6MWT), e.g., angina pectoris, intermittent claudication, symptomatic hip osteonecrosis
12. Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) or acute chest syndrome (ACS) within 2 weeks of randomization or more than 12 VOC and/or ACS within the last 12 months
13. Blood transfusion within 4 weeks prior to randomization
14. Illness with a life expectancy shorter than 6 months
15. HIV with opportunistic infection
16. Psychotic, addictive, or other disorder limiting the ability to provide informed consent or to comply with study requirements
17. Pregnant or lactating women
18. Recently started (\< 8 weeks prior to randomization) or planned, exercise-based cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation program
19. Bone marrow transplantation
20. Treatment or planned treatment with another investigational drug within 3 months prior to randomization
21. Treatment for pulmonary hypertension with an endothelin receptor antagonist, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, prostanoids (excluding acute administration during a catheterization procedure to test vascular reactivity) within 3 months prior to randomization or with L-arginine within 1 week prior to randomization
22. Treatment with calcineurin-inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine A and tacrolimus), sirolimus, fluconazole, amiodarone, miconazole and glibenclamide (glyburide) within 1 week prior to randomization
23. Known hypersensitivity to bosentan or any of its excipients
B: Inclusion Criteria for the Observational and Trial Cohorts:

* Hemoglobin diagnosis of SS (two copies of the hemoglobin S gene), SC (one copy of the hemoglobin S gene and one copy of the hemoglobin C gene), or S-β thalassemia (β+ or β0)
* No clinically apparent ACS
* No prior participation in either part of the study

Inclusion Criteria for the Trial Cohort, in addition to the above criteria:

* sPLA2 level greater than 100 ng/mL within the same 24-hour window that coincides with fever and chest radiograph negative for new pulmonary infiltrate within the last 12 hours of the 24-hour window
* Fever greater than 38.0º C within the same 24-hour window that coincides with elevated sPLA2 level (greater than 100 ng/mL) and chest radiograph negative for new pulmonary infiltrate within the last 12 hours of the 24-hour window
* Chest radiograph negative for new pulmonary infiltrate within the last 12 hours of the 24-hour window of an abnormal sPLA2 level and fever
* Hemoglobin levels equal or less than 10 g/dL at time of study entry
* Informed consent of parent(s) or legal guardian; informed consent or assent of participant as applicable

Exclusion Criteria for Observational and Trial Cohorts:

* Existing diagnosis of a new pulmonary infiltrate diagnosed by chest radiography (pleural effusion not obscuring lung parenchyma will not exclude the person from the study)
* Any coexisting medical condition for which the physician feels that a transfusion may be needed within 24 hours (e.g., severe anemia, stroke)
* Red Blood Cell (RBC) transfusion in the 60 days before study entry
* Unwillingness to sign consent form, or if a minor, unwillingness of parent/guardian to sign consent form
* Treatment with any investigational drug or device in the 30 days before study entry (hydroxyurea is allowable)
* History of alloimmunization that would prevent the participant from receiving blood within 8 hours of eligibility for study entry or history of a life-threatening transfusion reaction
* Objection to transfusion for religious or other reasons from either the participant or guardian
* History of treatment with systemic steroids within 1 week of study entry (inhaled steroids are acceptable)
* Pregnant
C: Inclusion Criteria: Screening Criteria:

1. Males or females \> or = 12 years of age with a documented history of SCD
2. Patients with symptomatic PH associated with shortness of breath
3. Patients with tricuspid regurgitation jet (TRJ) velocity of \> 2.9 m/sec based on echo/Doppler conducted within 6 months prior to randomization and not during SCD crisis
4. Signed written informed consent is obtained from the patient or patient's parent/ legal representative prior to initiation of any study related procedure

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with hemoglobin (Hb) SS or Hb S/β0 genotype and with Hb A \< or = 10%
2. Six-minute walk test (6MWT) distance \> or = 150 m and \< or = 450 m
3. Pulmonary hypertension confirmed by right heart catheterization (RHC) performed at the study site within 3 months of the randomization visit and defined as:

   * Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) \> or - 25 mmHg
   * Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) measured by right heart catheterization or left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) measured by left heart catheterization, if PCWP measurement is not reliable. Two subsets of patients will be considered for this study:
   * PCWP \< or = 15 mm Hg, if PVR at rest \< 160 dyn.sec/cm5
   * PCWP of 16-25 mm Hg with any PVR value
4. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative result on their serum pregnancy test and use reliable methods of contraception during study treatment and for 3 months after study treatment termination

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Left ventricular ejection fraction \< 40% (echo/Doppler)
2. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) \< 85 mmHg
3. Uncontrolled hypertension with SBP \> 160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mmHg
4. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second divided by forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) \< 0.5
5. Total lung capacity (TLC) \< 50% of normal predicted value
6. Significant cardiac disease: ischemic, valvular, constrictive
7. Hemoglobin concentration \< 6.0 g/dL at the time of randomization
8. Acute liver disease
9. cirrhosis or portal hypertension
10. ALT \> or = 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) and/or albumin \< 2.8 g/dL
11. Acute or chronic impairment (other than dyspnea), limiting the ability to comply with study requirements (in particular with 6MWT), e.g., angina pectoris, intermittent claudication, symptomatic hip osteonecrosis
12. Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) or acute chest syndrome (ACS) within 2 weeks of randomization or more than 12 VOC and/or ACS within the last 12 months
13. Blood transfusion within 4 weeks prior to randomization
14. Illness with a life expectancy shorter than 6 months
15. HIV with opportunistic infection
16. Psychotic, addictive or other disorder limiting the ability to provide informed consent or to comply with study requirements
17. Pregnant or lactating women
18. Recently started (\< 8 weeks prior to randomization) or planned, exercise-based cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation program
19. Bone marrow transplantation
20. Treatment or planned treatment with another investigational drug within 3 months prior to randomization
21. Treatment for pulmonary hypertension with an endothelin receptor antagonist, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, prostanoids (excluding acute administration during a catheterization procedure to test vascular reactivity) within 3 months prior to randomization or with L-arginine within 1 week prior to randomization
22. Treatment with calcineurin-inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine A and tacrolimus), sirolimus, fluconazole, amiodarone, miconazole and glibenclamide (glyburide) within 1 week prior to randomization
23. Known hypersensitivity to bosentan or any of its excipients
D: * INCLUSION CRITERIA
* Completion of the 16-week treatment period in the double-blind ASSET study
* Women of childbearing potential must have a negative result on their serum pregnancy test and use reliable methods of contraception during study treatment and for 3 months after study treatment termination.

Reliable methods of contraception are:

1. Barrier type devices (e.g., female condom, diaphragm, contraceptive sponge) only in combination with a spermicide.
2. Intra-uterine devices.
3. Oral, injectable, transdermal or implantable contraceptives only in combination with a barrier method.

Hormone-based contraceptives alone, regardless of the route of administration, are not considered to be reliable methods of contraception.

Abstention, rhythm method, and contraception by the partner alone are not acceptable methods of contraception.

Women not of childbearing potential are defined as prepubescent, postmenopausal (i.e., amenorrhea for at least 1 year), or surgically or naturally sterile.

Signed written informed consent is obtained from the patient or patient's parent/ legal representative prior to initiation of any study-related procedure.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

All patients (Groups A and B):

1. Any major protocol violation in the preceding double-blind ASSET study\*.
2. Hemoglobin concentration less than 6.0 g/dL.
3. Pregnancy or breast-feeding.

   \* Protocol violations will be reviewed by the monitor during site visits and discussed with the study staff on an ongoing basis and at the patient's completion of the double-blind study.

   Group B only:
4. Acute liver disease.
5. Newly diagnosed cirrhosis or portal hypertension.
6. ALT greater than or equal to 3 times ULN and/or albumin greater than 20% below LLN.
7. Newly diagnosed psychotic, addictive or other disorder limiting the ability to provide informed consent or to comply with study requirements.

Answer: C