Highlighting Current and Future
Perspectives in the Journal
The recent increase in awareness and recognition of pulmonary
hypertension is in part related to the efforts of Rheumatologists
who are now screening many of their patients for this deadly disease.
This issue, guest edited by Dr Kristin Highland, focuses on
the spectrum of connective tissue diseases and their relation to
pulmonary hypertension. While there is still much to learn about
how and why patients with connective tissue diseases develop pulmonary
hypertension, the benefits of treatment for many of these
patients are apparent. This issue also spotlights rheumatologist,
Dr Virginia Steen, whose efforts in the world of pulmonary hypertension, particularly
on screening and early diagnosis, are close to my heart. For our new International
Corner, Dr Nick Morrell provides commentary on combination therapy issues covered
in the previous issue of Advances, with an international perspective.
I am pleased to preview important content to be published in Advances in Pulmonary
Hypertension in the next 2 issues. The journal will be focusing on 2 meetings
held earlier this year that provided relevant and timely updates on pulmonary
hypertension. First, physicians who were unable to attend the World Health Organization
4th World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension will be pleased to see
the next issue and its comprehensive discussion of key findings from this meeting.
Among the topics to be covered are: current perspectives on pathophysiology,
diagnosis and assessment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), interventional
and surgical modalities, endpoints and clinical trial design in PAH, as well as
inflammation, growth factors, and pulmonary vascular remodeling.
In the following issue, the journal will feature content from another important
meeting, this year’s 8th International Conference and Scientific Sessions of the
Pulmonary Hypertension Association. The information from this meeting will be
gleaned from physicians who led the sessions and who are among the leading
investigators in the field. We look forward to providing articles on these important
issues and welcome your feedback. Please send your comments and suggestions
to our executive editor at Stulink@aol.com.
Ronald J. Oudiz, MD
Editor-in-Chief
Guest Editor’s Commentary
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with all of the connective
tissue diseases (CTDs), but it is most commonly seen in
systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), followed by systemic lupus erythematosus,
and the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Although the
prognosis for CTD-associated PH has improved with the availability
of numerous pulmonary arterial hypertension therapies, it still
carries a substantially poorer prognosis than idiopathic pulmonary
arterial hypertension, and necessitates additional research into its
treatment and prevention.
Further complicating treatment, CTD-associated PH is often multifactorial and
can be caused by any of the World Health Organization categories of PH. In this
issue of Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension, the contributors review what is known
regarding the epidemiology, pathobiology, and treatment of PH, with a focus on pulmonary
arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus,
and antiphospholipid syndrome.
Kristin B. Highland, MD, MSCR
Articles
Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension,
Summer 2008, Vol. 7, No. 2
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.
The recent increase in awareness and recognition of pulmonary
hypertension is in part related to the efforts of Rheumatologists
who are now screening many of their patients for this deadly disease.
This issue, guest edited by Dr Kristin Highland, focuses on
the spectrum of connective tissue diseases and their relation to
pulmonary hypertension. While there is still much to learn about
how and why patients with connective tissue diseases develop pulmonary
hypertension, the benefits of treatment for many of these
patients are apparent. This issue also spotlights rheumatologist,
Dr Virginia Steen, whose efforts in the world of pulmonary hypertension, particularly
on screening and early diagnosis, are close to my heart. For our new International
Corner, Dr Nick Morrell provides commentary on combination therapy issues covered
in the previous issue of Advances, with an international perspective.
