Efficacy of Inhaled Treprostinil in a Patient with Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Diseases Refractory to Conventional Intravenous Epoprostenol

TL;DR

A 73-year-old woman with severe lung and heart conditions improved after using inhaled treprostinil alongside existing treatment.

Contribution

Demonstrates the potential of inhaled treprostinil as an effective adjunct to intravenous epoprostenol in SSc-PH with ILD.

Findings

Inhaled treprostinil improved pulmonary hypertension and hemodynamic parameters in a refractory case.

The therapy allowed discontinuation of intravenous dobutamine and stabilized respiratory function and quality of life.

Combination therapy may overcome limitations of high-dose intravenous prostacyclin therapy in SSc-PH with ILD.

Abstract

Background: Systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary hypertension (SSc-PH) is widely recognized as the most severe subtype of connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary hypertension (CTD-PH), particularly in patients with complicating factors such as interstitial lung disease (ILD) and biventricular failure. This condition is associated with the poorest clinical outcomes among PH subtypes, presenting significant challenges in both management and prognosis. Despite the use of conventional therapies, including intravenous administration of epoprostenol, a promising prostacyclin analogue, treatment outcomes for SSc-PH remain suboptimal. While epoprostenol has demonstrated efficacy in reducing pulmonary arterial pressures, its clinical application is often constrained by the risk of ventilation–perfusion (V-Q) mismatch, particularly at higher doses. Case presentation: We report the case of a 73-year-old woman with SSc-PH complicated by ILD, who experienced progressive hemodynamic deterioration despite receiving optimized therapy with intravenous epoprostenol. Efforts to escalate the dose of epoprostenol were limited by the development of severe V-Q mismatch, precluding further dose increases. In light of these challenges, inhaled treprostinil was introduced as an adjunctive therapy. There were significant improvements in her pulmonary hypertension and hemodynamic parameters, ultimately allowing the discontinuation of intravenous dobutamine and stabilization of her hemodynamics, as well as her respiratory function, exercise capacity, and quality of life. Conclusions: This case highlights the potential clinical utility of combining inhaled treprostinil with intravenous epoprostenol for the treatment of SSc-PH in patients with concurrent ILD. By addressing the limitations associated with high-dose intravenous prostacyclin therapy, this combination approach may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for improving outcomes in this difficult-to-treat patient population. Further investigation is warranted to establish the efficacy and feasibility of this combination therapy in larger cohorts of patients with SSc-PH and associated ILD.

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