Bosentan increases myocardial perfusion and function in systemic sclerosis: a magnetic resonance imaging and Tissue-Doppler echography study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the short-term effects of bosentan on myocardial perfusion and function assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Tissue-Doppler echography (TDE) respectively in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

METHODS:

We prospectively evaluated 18 SSc patients without clinical heart failure and with normal pulmonary arterial pressure. MRI perfusion index and systolic and diastolic strain rates (SR) determined by TDE were assessed at baseline for comparison with healthy controls (after a 72-hour vasodilator washout period), and repeated after 4 weeks of bosentan treatment (62.5 mg bid for 2 weeks titrated to 125 mg bid for 2 weeks).

RESULTS:

Patients with SSc had decreased MRI perfusion index and TDE SR in comparison with healthy controls. Bosentan treatment led to a significant increase in median (range) global MRI perfusion index [from 0.17 (0.09-0.23) at Day 0 to 0.22 (0.13-0.30) after bosentan treatment; p = 0.0004], systolic SR [from 2.1 (1.3-3.1) s-1 to 2.8 (2.1-4.8) s-1; p = 0.0002), and diastolic SR [from 2.6 (1.4-6.7) to 3.6 (2.0-7.6) s-1; p = 0.0003].

CONCLUSION:

Short-term treatment with bosentan simultaneously improves myocardial perfusion and function, as evaluated by highly sensitive and quantitative methods, in patients with SSc. Whether additional remodeling effect may be observed after longterm treatment with bosentan remains to be determined.

• Authors: Yannick Allanore, Christophe Meune, Olivier Vignaux, Simon Weber, Paul Legmann, Andre Kahan
• Journal: The Journal of rheumatology (J Rheumatol) Vol. 33 Issue 12 Pg. 2464-9 (Dec 2006) ISSN: 0315-162X [Print] Canada
• PMID: 17080515 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antihypertensive Agents
• Sulfonamides
• Bosentan

Topics

• Antihypertensive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Blood Pressure (drug effects)
• Bosentan
• Coronary Circulation (drug effects)
• Echocardiography, Doppler (methods)
• Heart (drug effects, physiology)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
• Middle Aged
• Myocardial Contraction (drug effects, physiology)
• Scleroderma, Systemic (drug therapy, pathology, physiopathology)
• Sulfonamides (therapeutic use)