Macitentan for treatment of CTEPH: why MERIT merits attention

Abstract

This issue of The Lancet Respiratory Medicine brings new data on pharmacological treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Hossein-Ardeschir Ghofrani and colleagues 1 Ghofrani H-A Simonneau G D'Armini AM et al. on behalf of the MERIT study investigatorsMacitentan for the treatment of inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (MERIT-1): results from the multicentre, phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Lancet Respir Med. 2017; (published online Sept 11.)http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(17)30305-3 PubMed Google Scholar randomly assigned 80 patients with inoperable CTEPH to receive either placebo or oral macitentan, an endothelin-1 receptor antagonist approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The primary endpoint was resting pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) at week 16. Secondary endpoints included change in 6-minute walking distance at week 24. Macitentan (10 mg once a day) significantly improved PVR and exercise capacity with a good safety profile. Macitentan for the treatment of inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (MERIT-1): results from the multicentre, phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studyIn MERIT-1, macitentan significantly improved PVR in patients with inoperable CTEPH and was well tolerated. Full-Text PDF CorrectionsTorbicki A. Macitentan for treatment of CTEPH: why MERIT merits attention. Lancet Respir Med 2017; 5: 762–3— text “(geometric means ratio 0·84, 95% CI 0·69–1·03, p=0·041)” has been edited to “(geometric means ratio 0·84, 95% CI 0·69–1·03)” because the p value was originally added erroneously. This correction has been made to the printed Article, and to the online version as of Sept 29, 2017. Full-Text PDF