Inhaled Prostacyclin for Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and Pulmonary Hypertension

Summary

Summary of the proposed research: The intravenous application of prostacyclin (PGE1) or its stable analogue, iloprost, has been used to cause a decrease not only of the pulmonary but also of the systemic vascular tone. Aerosolized prostacyclin, on the other hand, can result in a selective pulmonary vasodilatation without affecting the systemic blood pressure as shown in preliminary studies/case reports. No large trials exist for this type of use of the drug so far. Furthermore, aerosolized PGI2 can improve gas exchange and pulmonary shunt in clinical settings of impaired ventilation/perfusion ratio as it occurs in adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to the redistribution of pulmonary blood flow from non-ventilated to ventilated, aerosol accessible lung regions. Therefore, the investigators propose to carry out a prospective, double blinded, randomized trial to show that the nebulized iloprost decreases pulmonary hypertension selectively and improves oxygenation in ARDS.

Timeline

Start

2006-05

Primary completion

2009-07

Completion

2009-07

Publications

• Background 1. Domenighetti G, Stricker H. et al. Nebulized prostacyclin in ARDS: impact of primary and secondary disease on gas exchange response. Crit Care Med. 2001 ;29 (1) :57-62 2. Macherndl S, Kneussl M. et al. Long term treatment of pulmonary hypertension with aerosolized iloprost. Eur Respir J. 2001; 17(1): 8-13 3. Max M, Rossaint R. Inhaled prostacyclin in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Eur J Pediatr. 1999; 158 supp 1: S23-6. 4. Hoeper M, Olschewski H.et al. A comparison of the acute hemodynamic effects of inhaled nitric oxide and aerosolized iloprost in primary pulmonary hypertension. German PPH study group. J AM Coll Card. 2000 ; 35(1):176-82. 5. Olschewski h, Ghofrani H. et al. Inhaled iloprost to treat severe pulmonary hypertension. An uncontrolled trial. German PPH study group. Ann Int Med. 2000 21;132 (6):435-43.

Drugs

Indications