Selexipag Dosing Strategies for Pediatric Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 May 10. doi: 10.1007/s00246-024-03513-w. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

This retrospective chart review of patients less than 18 years old with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) receiving selexipag was conducted to describe selexipag dosing practices, impact on concomitant PAH therapies, and the safety and efficacy of selexipag. Twenty-seven patients aged 1-17 years started a median dose of oral selexipag 100 µg twice daily. Therapy was increased by a median of 100 µg twice daily every 6 days to a maximally tolerated median dose of 800 µg twice daily. All 24 patients on another prostacyclin derivative were able to discontinue therapy at their maximum tolerated selexipag dose; other concomitant PAH therapies did not change. Changes in echocardiogram data and 6-MWT results were variable. No patients discontinued selexipag; four patients received decreased doses due to flushing (n = 1), drug interactions (n = 2), or increased frequency of nose bleeds (n = 1).

Keywords: Pediatrics; Prostacyclin derivative; Prostacyclin receptor agonist; Pulmonary hypertension; Selexipag.