Sildenafil therapy for interferon-β-1a-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension: a case report

Cardiology. 2011;120(4):187-9. doi: 10.1159/000335064. Epub 2012 Jan 20.

Abstract

Interferon (IFN) therapy is nowadays widely used in clinical practice. In the literature, there are very few reports of the association between IFN therapy and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and current guidelines do not mention IFNs as a risk factor for PAH. We describe a patient with multiple sclerosis who developed severe PAH after treatment with IFN-β-1a and the clinical response to sildenafil. Furthermore, we stress the need to further investigate the link between IFNs and PAH.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / adverse effects*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / chemically induced*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / drug therapy
  • Interferon beta-1a
  • Interferon-beta / adverse effects*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis / drug therapy
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use*
  • Purines / therapeutic use
  • Sildenafil Citrate
  • Sulfones / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Piperazines
  • Purines
  • Sulfones
  • Interferon-beta
  • Sildenafil Citrate
  • Interferon beta-1a