title: Oral sildenafil therapy improves health-related quality of life and functional status in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
abstract: Sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) specific phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, has shown promising results as a novel oral monotherapy in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 19 consecutive PAH patients, aged 16-75 years, with WHO functional class II or worse over 3 months of oral sildenafil. Improvement in exercise capacity was achieved in 15/19 (79%) patients. 6-minute walk test distance increased from 299+/-118 m to 360+/-127 m, p=0.016, and WHO functional class decreased significantly. Both PASP and CI showed a non-significant trend toward improvement. Patients also reported significant improvement in physical (p=0.002) and social (p<0.001) functioning, and general health (p=0.01) of Rand SF-36 questionnaire. There was improvement in domains of role limitation due to physical health (p=0.16), emotion (p=0.14), and energy level (p=0.4). Our study suggests that oral sildenafil monotherapy is effective in improving exercise capacity and health-related quality of life amongst PAH patients.
authors.forename: Raymond Ching-Chiew
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Geok Mui
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Poh Hoon
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Choong
authors.forename: Wei Luen James
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Yip
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011687:Purines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate