Pulmonary arterial hypertension in Latin America: epidemiological data from local studies

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare, progressive disease with poor prognosis. However, there is limited information available on the characteristics of PAH patients outside of North America and Europe. This is particularly important as researchers have described that there are potential geographical and regional differences which are vital to consider in the design of clinical trials as well as PAH treatment. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of PAH (PH group 1) in Latin America.

A search of electronic databases for studies published in English, Spanish or Portuguese was conducted specifying publication dates from the 1st of January 1987 until 10th October 2016. Two authors independently assessed papers for inclusion and extracted data. A narrative synthesis of the findings was conducted.

The search revealed 22 conference abstracts and articles, and on application of the inclusion criteria, six conference abstracts and articles were included in the final review. Studies/registries were based in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. In contrast to the available literature from developed countries, in Latin America, most patients were diagnosed at younger age; nevertheless, the higher prevalence of idiopathic PAH (IPAH) and the advanced stage of the disease at diagnosis were comparable to the existing literature, as the long term survival, despite the lower availability of targeted therapies.

This study highlights the regional characteristics in the epidemiology of group 1 PH. The recognition of these differences should be considered when developing clinical guidelines and extrapolating diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Equitable access to health care and therapies are also issues that need to be addressed in Latin America. Information coming from a large prospective registry representing the different populations in Latin America is of critical importance to increase disease awareness in the region and improve diagnosis and management.