Biomarkers and prognostic indicators in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has increased substantially in the past decades. More accurate diagnosis and increased options for treatment have given researchers the opportunity to better explore the response to medical therapy and prognosis. As a result, the use of biomarkers and prognostic indicators for this devastating disease has been widely investigated. Biomarkers and prognostic indicators have also been more frequently incorporated into the design of new clinical trials. This approach has helped the pulmonary hypertension (PH) community step forward in the search for effective treatments for PAH. However, no single biomarker has shown significant superiority in predicting prognosis or patient response and an integrative approach is necessary to understand which combination of markers should be used in each of the clinical scenarios that characterize the management of PAH.