A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

There is no cure for pulmonary arterial hypertension, but current approved treatment options include prostanoids, endothelin-receptor antagonists, and phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors. The effect on survival of these compounds has not been appropriately assessed in individual trials because of small sample size and short duration. We performed a meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials with drugs published in this condition.

Methods and results

Trials were searched in the Medline database from January 1990 to October 2008. The primary analysis included only studies with a placebo comparator arm, the sensitivity analysis also included studies comparing two active treatment arms. The main outcome measure was all-cause mortality. Twenty-one trials were included

SUBMITTER: Galie N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2642921 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature