Tuberc Respir Dis.  2004 Oct;57(4):320-328.

Effect of Beraprost Sodium in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Lee SD
• Seo KW
• Lee JY
• Huh JW
• Choi IS
• Park JS
• Shim TS
• Oh YM
• Park IW
• Ryu WS
• Choi BW

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vascular changes which occur early in the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prevalent manifestation and later cause pulmonary hypertension, which is a bad prognostic factor in COPD. Beraprost sodium (BPS), an orally active prostacyclin analogue, has been shown to improve survival in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. This study investigated the effect of BPS in the patients with COPD.
METHODS
This is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled, two center clinical trial. Twenty one consecutive patients with COPD were enrolled from June 2003 to June 2004 (patients treated with BPS for 3 months, BPS group, n=11; those with placebo, placebo group, n=10). The baseline demographic, pulmonary function and hemodynamic data were not significantly different between two groups.
RESULTS
On echocardiographic examination, trans tricuspid valve pressure gradient has decreased significantly after 3 months with beraprost in the BPS group [17.7(+/-11.4) to 8.2(+/-8.9) mm Hg, p-value<0.05], while there was no significant change in the control group. Six-minute walking distance has decreased in the control group and increased in the BPS group, but there was no statistical significance.
CONCLUSION
In patients with COPD oral administration of BPS reduced the pulmonary arterial pressure. The clinical significance of this finding, that is improving symptoms and natural course of the disease, needs further study.

Keyword

Beraprost sodium; COPD; Pulmonary hypertension

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Arterial Pressure
Echocardiography
Epoprostenol
Hemodynamics
Humans
Hypertension, Pulmonary
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*
Sodium*
Tricuspid Valve
Walking
Epoprostenol
Sodium