[Repeated partially reversible pulmonary arterial hypertension related to dasatinib: a case report and literature review]

Abstract

Objective: To study the clinical features and prognosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension related to dasatinib.

Methods: A case of pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH) during dasatinib therapy was retrospectively analyzed and the related literature was reviewed.

Results: A 55-year-old male with chronic myelogenous leukemia was treated with dasatinib at a dosage of 100 mg/d.After 36 months of initiating the therapy, he presented with chest distress, fatigue and general edema. His heart function was graded as NHYA Ⅳ. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography documented right ventricle enlargement, right ventricular wall thickening, reduction of right ventricular systolic function, widening of the main pulmonary artery and branches , and an estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure(SPAP) of 115 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), with pericardial effusion and normal systolic left ventricular function.Chest ultrasound documented bilateral pleural effusion.The patient had taken and withdrew dasatinib 5 times by himself.The symptom had improved after stopping the drug, with SPAP decreasing to 37-82 mmHg measured by echocardiography at the first 3 times, and the pleural effusion and the pericardial effusion had disappeared. But 1 year after the 4(th) withdrawal of the drug, his pulmonary arterial pressure had failed to decrease, and he had taken the drug again by himself. Other causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension such as lung parenchymal diseases, pulmonary thromboembolism, connective tissue diseases, other drug induced PAH, were excluded by extensive examinations. The patient refused to receive right-sided heart catheterization. The patient was followed until now.

Conclusions: Dasatinib can cause partially reversible PAH. But after repeated use of the drug, PAH may become irreversible. Monitoring SPAP by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography is necessary during dasatinib therapy.