A recent analysis published in the International Journal of Cardiology Congenital Heart Disease (Volume 9, March 2025) examines the evolving landscape of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). While traditionally viewed as primarily affecting young adult women without other health conditions, newer registry data from developed countries reveals a shift toward older patients with multiple co-morbidities like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and coronary disease. Nevertheless, there is not enough inclusion of these patients in clinical trials.
Interestingly, Latin American registries present a different picture, showing pulmonary arterial hypertension patients who are generally younger with fewer additional health issues. This discrepancy raises important questions: Do Latin American patients represent a genuinely different pulmonary arterial hypertension phenotype, or is this region simply at an earlier epidemiological stage that will eventually mirror the patterns observed in more developed nations? The authors investigate these demographic trends and their potential implications for regional treatment approaches and clinical trial design.
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Citation
Pulido T, de la Cruz-Perez S, Valencia D, Conde R, Lescano A, Zayas N. Pulmonary arterial hypertension in Latin America. The age and comorbidity paradox. Int J Cardiol Congenit Heart Dis. 2025 Jan 31;19:100573. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcchd.2025.100573. PMID: 40066342; PMCID: PMC11891735.