One versus two medicines for children with pulmonary arterial hypertension

2/2 Kids MoD PAH Trial: Mono- vs. Duo-Therapy for Pediatric Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension-DCC

NIH-funded research Duke University · NIH-11364147

This compares starting one medicine versus starting two medicines for children with pulmonary arterial hypertension to find which approach helps symptoms, exercise ability, and heart health.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionDuke University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Durham, United States)
Project IDNIH-11364147 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If my child joins, they would be enrolled across multiple pediatric hospitals and randomly start either a single PAH medicine (like sildenafil) or two medicines together (sildenafil plus bosentan). A central data-coordinating center will collect age-appropriate outcomes such as exercise ability, heart and lung pressures, quality of life, and long-term follow-up. The approach uses lessons from adult combination therapy but adapts measurements and safety monitoring for infants, children, and adolescents. The goal is to define the best initial treatment approach and standardize outcome measures for pediatric PAH care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Children and adolescents newly diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension who can attend regular visits at a participating pediatric center are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Children already on long-term combination therapy, those who cannot take sildenafil or bosentan, or those with other severe comorbid conditions may not receive benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could establish a clearer first-line treatment for children with PAH that improves symptoms, exercise capacity, and long-term heart health.

How similar studies have performed: Randomized adult trials have shown that initial combination therapy improves pulmonary pressures, exercise tolerance, and quality of life, but randomized data in children are limited.

Where this research is happening

Durham, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cardiac DiseasesCardiac Disorders
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.