Review backs immunosuppressants for connective tissue disease-associated PAH
The paper is a 'first', and offers useful data to aid clinical decision-making, researchers say
Most patients with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension can safely be prescribed immunosuppressants but the benefits are variable, a new analysis shows.
The systematic review shows patients with comorbid SLE and pulmonary arterial hypertension (SLE-PAH) have a better response to immunosuppressive therapy than patients with other connective tissue disease (CTD) subtypes.
Chinese researchers say their findings provide clear indicators for clinicians on when to initiate non-biological agents in this setting.
In the review of studies involving nine cohorts, the investigators evaluated data from 439 adults (mean age range 29-45) with CTD-PAH to determine the efficacy and safety of immunosuppressive therapy.
