Inhalation of vasoactive intestinal peptide in pulmonary hypertension
Leuchte HH, Baezner C, Baumgartner RA, et al. (2008). European Respiratory Journal.
Summary
Twenty patients with pulmonary hypertension of mixed causes inhaled a single dose of aviptadil (synthetic VIP) during right-heart catheterisation while haemodynamics and blood gases were measured. The authors report a small, temporary but statistically significant selective reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance, improved stroke volume and mixed venous oxygen saturation, with no side effects and no change in systemic blood pressure. Six patients had a pulmonary vascular resistance reduction of more than 20%. An acute, uncontrolled, single-dose study; the authors call for larger and longer trials.