Implantable system for treprostinil: a real-world patient experiencestudy

摘要

Parenteral prostanoids are effective for improving outcomes in patients withpulmonary arterial hypertension. However, subcutaneous or intravenous deliveryvia an external pump places a significant burden on patients. Consequently, theImplantable System for Remodulin© (treprostinil) was developed and is associatedwith a low rate of complications (United Therapeutics (Research Triangle Park,NC) in collaboration with Medtronic, Inc. (Mounds View, MN)). The currentreal-world experience study evaluated pulmonary arterial hypertension patients'perceptions of their quality of life, ability to perform activities of dailyliving, perceptions on the benefits and risks of the implantable system, andtheir social interactions before and after receiving the implantable system.Pulmonary arterial hypertension patients who had been transitioned from anexternal infusion pump to the implantable system completed a mix of quantitativeand qualitative questions administered online over the course of a six-dayperiod. A total of 20 patients completed the study. All patients reported thattheir quality of life, confidence out in public, and ability to travel longdistances had improved. Over 90% of patients reported that their overall levelof independence was better since receiving the implantable system, and mostpatients indicated that their ability to independently perform specificactivities of daily living had improved. Responses to the qualitative questionssuggested that the implantable system saved time, improved interpersonalrelationships, and increased freedom. Results from this real-world patientexperience study suggest this novel delivery system provides improvements infactors that are of substantial importance to patients.