Vardenafil in pulmonary arterial hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Although the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors sildenafil and tadalafil have demonstrated efficacy in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), monotherapy with these agents has not been conclusively shown to reduce clinical worsening events.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor vardenafil in Chinese patients with PAH.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 66 patients with PAH were randomized 2:1 to vardenafil (5 mg once daily for 4 wk then 5 mg twice daily; n = 44) or placebo (n = 22) for 12 weeks. Patients completing this phase were then treated with open-label vardenafil (5 mg twice daily) for a further 12 weeks.

At Week 12, the mean placebo-corrected 6-minute walking distance was increased with vardenafil (69 m; P < 0.001), and this improvement was maintained for at least 24 weeks. Vardenafil also increased the mean placebo-corrected cardiac index (0.39 L·min(-1)·m(-2); P = 0.005) and decreased mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance (-5.3 mm Hg, P = 0.047; -4.7 Wood U, P = 0.003; respectively) at Week 12. Four patients in the placebo group (20%) and one in the vardenafil group (2.3%) had clinical worsening events (hazard ratio 0.105; 95% confidence interval, 0.012-0.938; P = 0.044). Vardenafil was associated with only mild and transient adverse events.

Vardenafil is effective and well tolerated in patients with PAH at a dose of 5 mg twice daily.