Marking a Milestone for the Journal and
Previewing PHA’s Upcoming Conference
and Scientific Sessions
This issue of Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is a milestone
in the journal’s history: it is the first to produce a series of clinical
cases and expert commentaries since the journal’s inception in
2002. The Editorial Board and I were excited when the idea was
conceived. Now that the “cases” issue is in print, I am happy to
see that we were right to be energized about this issue. Publishing
these cases is one of several components introducing new dimensions
in PHA’s tireless efforts in educating the world about PAH:
1) Formal case presentations presenting practical approaches to PAH diagnosis and
management, 2) CD-ROM-based case presentations, with interactive multimedia
(coming soon), and 3) On-line “live” case discussions via Pulmonary Hypertension
Clinicians and Researchers (you must be a PHCR member to view and participate
in these discussions).
The many contributors to this issue deserve a great deal of thanks for their efforts
in helping to produce it. These include our Editorial Board members Drs Francisco J.
Soto, Robert Schilz, Charles D. Burger, Srinivas Murali, E. Clinton Lawrence, and
Micah R. Fisher.
This issue also coincides with the opening of registration for PHA’s 8th International
Pulmonary Hypertension Conference and Scientific Sessions, which will be
held on June 20-22 in Houston, Texas. The theme of the 2008 Scientific Sessions,
a daylong educational program specifically for medical professionals who work in
the field of pulmonary hypertension, is Determinants of RV Function on Molecular,
Pharmacogenomic, and Metabolic Levels. PHA’s biennial conference is the largest
meeting of its kind and is unique in bringing together pulmonary hypertension
patients, caregivers, and medical professionals from around the world. For more
information on this exciting event, be sure to see the ad in this issue of Advances.
As someone who has attended past PHA Conferences and worked to develop their
programming, as well as the 2008 Conference program, I can assure you that this
will be an exceptional weekend.
Ronald J. Oudiz, MD
Editor-in-Chief
Guest Editor’s Commentary
Pulmonary Hypertension:
Challenges and Controversies in
Diagnosis and Management
The case presentations and discussions in this issue of Advances
illustrate both common and uncommon challenges in the diagnosis
and management of patients with pulmonary hypertension. Although
significant guidelines and evidence-based recommendations exist
for patient evaluation and care, practical application of these
guidelines and managing uncertainty in areas where evidence may
be sparse are key elements in the daily activities of specialized
pulmonary hypertension clinics.
The contributors present case-based analyses exploring important concepts
and controversies in pulmonary venous hypertension, transplantation, vasoreactivity,
chronic thromboembolic disease, and catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome. Two
of the cases not only illustrate important concepts but are examples of notable educational PHA initiatives: a preview of an upcoming educational
CD edited by Todd Bull, MD, and a discussion from the
PHCR on-line forums. As with many discussions of patient
care, areas of consensus emerge, as well as topics that
clearly require additional investigation.
Robert Schilz DO, PhD Guest Editor
Medical Director of Lung
Transplantation and Pulmonary
Vascular Disease
University Hospital of Cleveland
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio
Articles
Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension,
Winter 2007, Vol. 6, No. 4
Editor-in-Chief Richard Channick, MD
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Pulmonary and Critical Care Division
University of California, San Diego Medical Center
San Diego, California
Immediate Past Editor Ronald J. Oudiz, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Director, Liu Center for Pulmonary Hypertension
LA Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Editor-in-Chief Elect Erika Berman Rosenzweig, MD
Director, Pulmonary
Hypertension Center, Columbia University Medical Center Associate
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics (in Medicine)
Associate Editors
Kristin Highland, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine
Medical University Of Carolina
Francisco Soto, MD, MS
Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Todd Bull, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Robert Schilz, DO, PhD
Medical Director of Lung
Transplantation and Pulmonary Vascular Disease
University Hospital of Cleveland
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio
Publisher
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Carl Hicks, Board Chair
Rino Aldrighetti, President
Sherrie Borden, Vice President, Medical and Patient Education
Publishing Staff Managing Editor
Deborah L. McBride
McBride Strategic Services
mcbridedeb@aol.com
P: 773-348-5455
C: 312-307-5455
Design Director
Michael McClain
Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is circulated to
cardiologists, pulmonologists, rheumatologists and other selected
physicians by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. The contents of the articles are independently determined by the Editor
and the Editorial Advisory Board.
Editorial Mission Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is committed
to help physicians in their clinical decision
making by informing them of important
trends affecting their practice. Analyzing the
impact of new findings and covering current
information in the peer-reviewed literature,
Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is published
four times a year. Advances in Pulmonary
Hypertension is the official journal
of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.
Each article in this journal has been reviewed
and approved by members of the Editorial
Advisory Board.
Editorial Board
Charles Burger, MD
Medical Director, PH Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL
Karen Fagan, M.D. Chief, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine University of South Alabama
Eli Gabbay, MD
Lung Transplant Unit
Royal Perth Hospital
Nick Kim, M.D.
Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine
University of California San Diego
Deborah Jo Levine, M.D.
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Omar Minai, MD
Dept of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Myung Park, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Fernando Torres, MD Director Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic
UTSW Medical Center Dallas
University Hospital
Glenna Traiger, RN, MSN
Pulmonary & Critical Care
Pulmonary Hypertension CNS
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
R. James White, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology & Physiology
University of Rochester, Division of Pulmonary and CCM
Roham Zamanian, MD
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Stanford University Medical Center
The
information provided on the PHA website is provided for general information
only. It is not intended as legal, medical or other professional
advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations
with qualified professionals who are familiar with your individual
needs.
This issue of Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is a milestone
in the journal’s history: it is the first to produce a series of clinical
cases and expert commentaries since the journal’s inception in
2002. The Editorial Board and I were excited when the idea was
conceived. Now that the “cases” issue is in print, I am happy to
see that we were right to be energized about this issue. Publishing
these cases is one of several components introducing new dimensions
in PHA’s tireless efforts in educating the world about PAH:
1) Formal case presentations presenting practical approaches to PAH diagnosis and
management, 2) CD-ROM-based case presentations, with interactive multimedia
(coming soon), and 3) On-line “live” case discussions via Pulmonary Hypertension
Clinicians and Researchers (you must be a PHCR member to view and participate
in these discussions).
