Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion syndrome has been the subject of intensive study and experimentation in recent decades since it is responsible for the outcome of several clinical entities, such as major hepatic resections and liver transplantation. In addition to the organ's post reperfusion injury, this syndrome appears to play a central role in the dysfunction of distant tissues and systems. Thus, continuous research should be directed toward finding effective therapeutic options to improve the outcome and reduce the postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Treprostinil is a synthetic analog of prostaglandin I2, and its experimental administration has shown encouraging results. It has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States for pulmonary arterial hypertension and has been used in liver transplantation, where preliminary encouraging results showed its safety and feasibility by using continuous intravenous administration at a dose of 5 ng/kg/min. Treprostinil improves renal and hepatic function, diminishes hepatic oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, reduces hepatictoll-like receptor 9 and inflammation, inhibits hepatic apoptosis and restores hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels and ATP synthases, which is necessary for functional maintenance of mitochondria. Treprostinil exhibits vasodilatory properties and antiplatelet activity and regulates proinflammatory cytokines; therefore, it can potentially minimize ischemia-reperfusion injury. Additionally, it may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular parameters, and much current research interest is concentrated on this compound.

Application of Treprostinil (TRE) in the patients with single ventricle (SV) physiology is very limited, and the optimal dose for children has not been determined. In this study, we aimed to analyze plasma samples to assess the attainment of clinically therapeutic concentrations of TRE and its efficacy and safety in the treatment of pediatric functional SV pulmonary arterial hypertension (FSV-PAH)..

Pediatric patients with FSV-PAH were recruited in this study. IV TRE at an initial rate of 5 ng/kg/min was administered through the femoral vein with an increase in rate to 10 ng/kg/min every 30 minuntil the aiming dose of 80 ng/kg/min had been reached. The drug was gradually discontinued after 12 h of treatment at a stable dose. The mean postoperative pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), pulmonary-to-systemic arterial pressure ratio (Pp/Ps), and the ratio between arterial oxygen partial pressure and inhaled oxygen concentration (PaO₂/FiO₂) were used to evaluate the efficacy of TRE treatment. A multiple linear regression model was used to explore the relevant factors associated with TRE blood concentration.

A total of eight patients were enrolled in the investigation, with an age range of 2.5-9.9 years. The median stable dose of TRE was 70 ng/kg/min with a range of 55-75 ng/kg/min. The median subliminal dose was 55 ng/kg/min with a range of 25-75 ng/kg/min. A linear relationship was established between the TRE dose and the plasma concentration. TRE blood concentrations were associated with dose and patient height. After TRE treatment, mPAP, Pp/Ps, and PaO₂/FiO₂ were significantly improved (P<0.05).

A linear relationship was found between the blood concentration of TRE and its dose. IV TRE was an effective therapy without serious side effects in pediatric patients with FSV-PAH.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02865733.

To investigate the midterm postoperative prognosis of patients with severe left heart valvular disease combined with moderate or severe pulmonary hypertension (PAH) using subcutaneous injection of treprostinil.

A retrospective study was conducted on 61 patients with severe left heart valvular disease combined with moderate or severe PAH who had undergone mechanical mitral and/or aortic valve replacement from April 2018 to October 2018. The patients were divided into the treprostinil group and the conventional treatment group according to whether they received treprostinil. The patients were assessed by SwanGanz catheterization, echocardiography, the 6-min walk test (6-MWT), the Borg dyspnoea score and the SF-36 questionnaire.

Compared with the preoperative data, the mPAP measured by SwanGanz catheterization, the results of the 6-MWT and the Borg score were significantly improved in both groups during the 1 year follow-up (P < 0.05). Regarding the comparison between the groups, the results in group T were significantly better than those in group C, including the results of the 6-MWT and the general health, vitality and mental health of SF-36 during the 1 year follow-up (P < 0.05).

Continuous subcutaneous infusion of treprostinil was not capable of decreasing pulmonary pressures in patients with severe left heart valvular disease combined with moderate or severe PAH during 1 year follow-up, although which some of our data suggest that might improve the symptoms and quality of life of these patients.