Conditions: Non-operable Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 105
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The primary purpose of this study is to determine the effect on six-minute walking test (6MWT) distance after 24 weeks treatment with subcutaneous (SC) Treprostinil Sodium in patients with Severe (inoperable) Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Detailed description:
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is characterized by non-resolving organized thromboembolic obstructing the pulmonary vascular bed. These thrombi are resistant to thrombolytic therapy and chronic plasmatic anticoagulation. An increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), right ventricular overload, and eventually right ventricular failure ensue.

The treatment of choice for CTEPH is pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), providing a potential cure for the disease. However, about 50 % of patients are not candidates for surgery, mainly because of distal location of thromboemboli. Despite recent advances in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), medical treatments have not been recommended for inoperable CTEPH, because of the concept that a predominantly major vessel obstructive arteriopathy would not be suitable for vasodilators. Furthermore, a major drawback of i.v. prostacyclin therapy is the need for a permanent central venous access that increases the risk of infection (0.22-0.68 per patient per year), thrombosis and new major vessel thromboembolism.

Arms:
arm 1: Arm I (low dose):

Subject was treated with a low dose of Treprostinil sodium. Dose was escalated to an approximate target dose of 3 ng/kg/min after the first 12 weeks and was kept stable for another 12 weeks.

Due to the predefined infusion rate setting schedule an interim dose of up to 6 ng/kg/min could be reached for few days at the end of the phases 1,2 and 3.

This depended on the patient's exact weight and is caused by the limited infusion rate setting possibility of the infusion pump. arm 2: Subject was treated with a low dose of Treprostinil sodium. Dose was escalated to an approximate target dose of 3 ng/kg/min after the first 12 weeks and kept stable for another 12 weeks.

Due to the predefined infusion rate setting schedule an interim dose of up to 6 ng/kg/min could be reached for few days at the end of the phases 1,2 and 3.

This depended on the patient's exact weight and is caused by the limited infusion rate setting possibility of the infusion pump.

Interventions: intervention 1: Treprostinil sodium
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: None

Protocol document: