Pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening heart and lung disease, in which pulmonary arterial changes result in increased right ventricular afterload and the potential for right ventricular cardiac failure. Pediatric PH results from a variety of vascular, cardiac, respiratory, and systemic conditions. Patients with developmental lung diseases, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia and congenital diaphragmatic hernia, are among the fastest growing groups of pediatric PH. In recent years, advances in cardiac imaging and both medical and surgical treatment of right ventricular failure have provided new options for patients. Still, PH remains a life-altering diagnosis, and patients face multiple stressors and report low quality of life. This Research Topic will present novel approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of patients with pediatric pulmonary hypertension, form the neonate to the adolescent-young adult.
This Research Topic will present advances in the care of children with pulmonary hypertension, a condition with high mortality and morbidity. Recent advances have improved diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Technological improvements in the echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular function provide promise for earlier detection of right ventricular failure. Our understanding of the complex genetics of pediatric pulmonary hypertension continues to grow and will likely expand rapidly over the next few years. New serum biomarkers associated with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure have been identified and may provide avenues for more targeted treatment strategies. Medical and surgical treatment strategies continue to improve. Treprostinil treatment, in various forms, has been used with good success in patients with multiple etiologies of pulmonary hypertension, Experience with the reverse Potts shunt suggests this may be a viable surgical palliation for patients with advanced disease. Finally, there is increasing attention to the multiple co-morbidities that affect children with pulmonary hypertension. Patients are inactive and demonstrate body composition differences. Home based exercise training programs, guided by mobile health technologies may offer non-pharmacologic treatment approaches. Appreciation of the mental health concerns afflicting these patients is critical to treating the whole patient and family and improving quality of life for this vulnerable population.
Original research, review articles, and commentaries will be accepted.
Article contributions will address:
- Pulmonary vasodilator therapy and right ventricular function – short term and long term! – in developmental lung diseases
- Updates in the genetics of pediatric pulmonary hypertension
- Continuous treprostinil therapy in various forms of pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary vasodilator therapy in single ventricle congenital heart disease
- Promising oral pulmonary hypertension treatments including oral treprostinil, selexipag, sotatercept
- Serum biomarkers and their impact on personalized medical treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension
- Diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension with pulmonary vein stenosis
- The reverse Potts shunt as a palliation for severe pulmonary arterial hypertension
Pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening heart and lung disease, in which pulmonary arterial changes result in increased right ventricular afterload and the potential for right ventricular cardiac failure. Pediatric PH results from a variety of vascular, cardiac, respiratory, and systemic conditions. Patients with developmental lung diseases, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia and congenital diaphragmatic hernia, are among the fastest growing groups of pediatric PH. In recent years, advances in cardiac imaging and both medical and surgical treatment of right ventricular failure have provided new options for patients. Still, PH remains a life-altering diagnosis, and patients face multiple stressors and report low quality of life. This Research Topic will present novel approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of patients with pediatric pulmonary hypertension, form the neonate to the adolescent-young adult.
This Research Topic will present advances in the care of children with pulmonary hypertension, a condition with high mortality and morbidity. Recent advances have improved diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Technological improvements in the echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular function provide promise for earlier detection of right ventricular failure. Our understanding of the complex genetics of pediatric pulmonary hypertension continues to grow and will likely expand rapidly over the next few years. New serum biomarkers associated with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure have been identified and may provide avenues for more targeted treatment strategies. Medical and surgical treatment strategies continue to improve. Treprostinil treatment, in various forms, has been used with good success in patients with multiple etiologies of pulmonary hypertension, Experience with the reverse Potts shunt suggests this may be a viable surgical palliation for patients with advanced disease. Finally, there is increasing attention to the multiple co-morbidities that affect children with pulmonary hypertension. Patients are inactive and demonstrate body composition differences. Home based exercise training programs, guided by mobile health technologies may offer non-pharmacologic treatment approaches. Appreciation of the mental health concerns afflicting these patients is critical to treating the whole patient and family and improving quality of life for this vulnerable population.
Original research, review articles, and commentaries will be accepted.
Article contributions will address:
- Pulmonary vasodilator therapy and right ventricular function – short term and long term! – in developmental lung diseases
- Updates in the genetics of pediatric pulmonary hypertension
- Continuous treprostinil therapy in various forms of pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary vasodilator therapy in single ventricle congenital heart disease
- Promising oral pulmonary hypertension treatments including oral treprostinil, selexipag, sotatercept
- Serum biomarkers and their impact on personalized medical treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension
- Diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension with pulmonary vein stenosis
- The reverse Potts shunt as a palliation for severe pulmonary arterial hypertension
