Inhaled treprostinil in pulmonary hypertension due to interstitial lung disease

The INCREASE clinical trial investigated inhaled treprostinil as a potential treatment pathway for patients with pulmonary hypertension due to interstitial lung disease. Participants matching this medical profile were randomized into two cohorts, with 163 patients assigned to the study intervention and a like number allocated to placebo. The primary outcome, evaluated at 16 weeks, was the change in exercise capacity from baseline levels. At followup, the least-squares mean difference between the treprostinil patients and the controls on a 6-minute walk test was 31.12 meters, suggesting better exercise capacity with the study drug. Secondary endpoints, including time to clinical deterioration and change in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level, also favored inhaled treprostinil.