Inhaled nebulized sodium nitrite decreases pulmonary artery pressure in β-thalassemia patients with pulmonary hypertension

Nitric Oxide. 2018 Jun 1:76:174-178. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2017.09.010. Epub 2017 Sep 28.

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is a life-threatening complication in β-thalassemia. Inhaled sodium nitrite has vasodilatory effect on pulmonary vasculature. However, its effect on pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in β-thalassemia subjects with pulmonary hypertension has never been reported. In this study, we investigated the change in PAP during inhalation of sodium nitrite in 5 β-thalassemia patients. We demonstrated that sodium nitrite administered by nebulization rapidly decreased PAP as measured by echocardiography and right heart catheterization. The effect of nitrite was short as PAP returned to baseline at end of inhalation. Our findings support acute pulmonary vasodilation effect of nitrite in β-thalassemia with pulmonary hypertension.

Keywords: Nitrite; Pulmonary hypertension; Thalassemia.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Adult
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / complications*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Pulmonary Artery / drug effects*
  • Sodium Nitrite / administration & dosage*
  • Sodium Nitrite / blood
  • Sodium Nitrite / pharmacology*
  • beta-Thalassemia / complications*

Substances

  • Sodium Nitrite