Preliminary experience with bosentan as initial therapy in childhood idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Since September 2001, 7 consecutive patients with childhood idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), a rapidly progressive and fatal condition, have been treated with combinations of bosentan, and other therapies (sildenafil/warfarin/epoprostenol), at our institution. Survival and clinical status in these patients were compared with a group of 12 historic control patients who were diagnosed prior to 1997 and received only conventional medical therapy. Survival in the bosentan-treated subjects was better than among historic controls with comparable disease severity (log rank, p = 0.04). Our findings indicate treatment with bosentan permits a delay in IPAH disease progression and, in combination with other therapies, improves survival compared with historic control patients.