Analysis Group Collaborates in Prospective Multicenter Study on the Role of Screening Strategies for Advancing Early Detection of Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease
May 14, 2026
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common complication of interstitial lung disease (ILD) that is associated with diminished quality of life and decreased survival. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a therapy to improve exercise capacity among patients with ILD-associated PH. However, standardized screening for PH in patients with ILD is lacking, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
To identify appropriate parameters for the detection of PH in those patients, researchers including Managing Principal Maral DerSarkissian collaborated on the Pulmonary Hypertension Screening in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease for Earlier Detection (PHINDER) study. PHINDER is a multicenter, non-interventional prospective study of clinical, functional, imaging, and echocardiographic information collected from pre-specified assessments that were incorporated into clinical workflows within participating health care centers. The research required complex coordination across multiple centers and health care providers to support patient recruitment and enrollment, integration of assessments into routine care, and prospective data collection from approximately 200 patients, with a target enrollment of up to 300 patients. The study identified potential predictors of PH using data from patients with ILD who underwent the pre-specified assessments and right heart catheterization.
In an article describing their work, the researchers present preliminary evidence that combining pulmonary function testing, lung imaging, and echocardiography could improve earlier and more accurate detection of PH among patients with ILD. They conclude that their preliminary findings support the integration of imaging tests and functional assessments in PH diagnostic screening protocols for patients with ILD. Final analyses are underway.
The article, “Screening for Pulmonary Hypertension in Interstitial Lung Disease: Preliminary Results from the PHINDER Study,” was published in Advances in Therapy. Funding for the study was provided by United Therapeutics.