[Reversible pulmonary arterial hypertension related to dasatinib in the treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia: a case report and literature review].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features and prognosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with dasatinib.

METHODS: To present a case of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with long-term exposure to dasatinib and review the related literatures.

RESULTS: A 23-year-old female with chronic myelogenous leukemia was treated with dasatinib at a dosage of 140 mg/d after failure of imatinib treatment and achieved complete cytogenetic response. The patient was presented with exertional dyspnea after 35 months of administration with dasatinib. The electrocardiogram showed right ventricular hypertrophy and right axis deviation; transthoracic Doppler echocardiography documented a reduction in diameters of left heart chambers with normal systolic left ventricular function, right heart chambers and pulmonary trunk dilatation, an estimated pulmonary arterial pressure of 114 mmHg; Computed tomography showed thickened pulmonary artery. PAH related to dasatinib was diagnosed and dasatinib was permanently discontinued. The symptom of dyspnea disappeared quickly after withdrawal of dasatinib. The heart structure and pulmonary arterial pressure completely recovered after 7 months of dasatinib discontinuation.

CONCLUSION: PAH is a rare adverse effect of dasatinib treatment. Echocardiograhpy, as a non-invasive screening test for PAH, should be performed before starting dasatinib treatment and repeated during the administration with dasatinib. Dasatinib should be withdrawn permanently in patients with PAH.