In March 2021, the PHA UK conducted a survey to help researchers understand what people with pulmonary hypertension thought about their proposed study aimed at personalising treatments for the condition.
Access the survey findings here
Our support helped them to secure ethical approval and a funding grant for the ‘Phoenix’ study, which is due to begin in September 2022. Find out more here
To help guide treatment for patients from their own home and to help balance the benefit of therapies against side effects, the study will look at the use of cutting-edge, remote monitoring technology that can provide daily data similar to that gained from a right heart catheterisation. This data will be provided wirelessly to the hospital team via mobile phone.
Implanted at the time of right heart catheterisation, one small device (3.5x2x15mm) will sit in the pulmonary artery and the other just under the skin on the chest (9x3x49mm). Devices are safe and are approved for the treatment of heart failure and for the detection of abnormal heart rhythms.
An early study undertaken in Sheffield shows that they may be used to guide therapy long-term in patients with PH.
In this second proposed study, to be run at all UK PH centres, researchers aim to understand the best treatment for patients on two PH drugs by undertaking a study increasing and decreasing doses of two approved drugs known to provide benefit. During the study, researchers will seek to demonstrate the use of devices for ‘personalised medicine’ by examining the changes in pulmonary blood pressure and blood flow, heart rate, physical activity, side effects and quality-of-life with changes in drugs. The study is focused on the treatment of PAH at this point, however there is significant potential for use in patients with other forms of PH.
