Simvastatin effects in normo- and hypercholesterolaemic patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease: a pilot study.

Improvement of endothelial function caused by statin treatment is not related to lowering of the cholesterol levels but results primarily from statin pleiotropic effects. Accordingly, we designed a pilot study in 10 normocholesterolaemic and 10 hypercholesterolaemic patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease to investigate potential biological effects of statins in relation to their effects on endothelial function. The patients were treated with simvastatin 40 mg/daily for 3 months.

Misoprostol as agonist of IP2 receptor.

Fourteen patients with peripheral vascular disease received 200 microg of misoprostol 3 times a day during one month. The therapy with misoprostol caused clinical and biochemical improvement in all 14 patients. An elongation of pain free and maximum walking distance, shortening of pain duration and increase in arterial blood flow in both calves were observed.

[Evaluation of fraxiparine efficacy in the treatment of retinal vein occlusion].

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of Fraxiparine in the treatment of central retinal vein occlusion and retinal branch vein occlusion.

Methods: 30 patients were treated. Fraxiparine (Sanofi-Pharma) was injected subcutaneously in doses of 7.

Influence of bezafibrate on total antioxidant activity of serum and deformability of blood cells in hypercholesterolaemic patients.

Fourteen patients with hypercholesterolaemia were treated with bezafibrate (600 mg/day) for a month. Before and after the treatment some biochemical and physical parameters were investigated. Plasma cholesterol levels, elevated before treatment, significantly decreased after one month (p<0.

Treatment of peripheral vascular disease with misoprostol (Cytotec): a pilot study.

Misoprostol, the oral analogue of alprostadil, was used to treat 20 patients (aged 40-60 years) with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) according to Fontaine's classification at stages IIa and IIb. All patients received 200 micrograms of misoprostol 3 times a day during a month. The therapy with misoprostol resulted in clinical improvement in all patients.

[The effect of treatment with sulphur water from the spring in Wiesław in Busko-Solec on levels of lipids,the fibrinolytic system and thrombogenic platelet function in patients with arteriosclerosis].

29 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans and elevated level of cholesterol and/or triglycerides in blood received undiluted sulphur water from the spring Wiesław in Busko-Solec at the dose of 50 ml 3 times a day for 4 weeks. Such a treatment resulted in statistically significant decrease of blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. The concentration of HDL cholesterol did not change significantly.

[Misoprostol--oral prostanoid--the first clinical trial for use in patients with peripheral vascular disease].

Misoprostol, the oral analogue of alprostadil was used for the treatment of 20 patients (aged 40-60) with peripheral arterial disease according to Fontaine's classification at stages IIa and IIb (PAD). All patients received 200 micrograms of misoprostol 3 times a day during a month. The therapy with misoprostol resulted in a clinical improvement in all patients.

L-arginine--substrate for no synthesis--its beneficial effects in therapy of patients with peripheral arterial disease: comparison with placebo-preliminary results.

Intravenous infusions of L-arginine (L-ARG) and placebo (saline) resulted in improvement of clinical assessments, statistically significant after L-ARG but not after saline. Results of laboratory estimations for platelet and fibrynolysis changed significantly following L-ARG infusions but not after infusions of placebo. These data indicate beneficial effects of L-ARG as a therapeutic agent in patients with peripheral arterial obliterative disease (PAOD).

Misoprostol (cytotec) in the treatment of peripheral ischaemic disease.

The stable prostacyclin analogue-iloprost and prostaglandin E1 (Alprostadil) showed a beneficial effect on activated platelets and leukocytes, and thrombocyte and leukocyte vessel interaction and damaged endothelium, improving microvascular perfusion and were useful in treatment of patients with peripheral arterial disease. The 4 weeks therapy with misoprostol caused a clinical improvement in all 14 patients and resulted in vasorelaxation and showed antiplatelet and fibrinolytic effects.

Treatment with L-arginine is likely to stimulate generation of nitric oxide in patients with peripheral arterial obstructive disease.

The impairment of endothelial function in hypercholesterolaemic animals and humans is known to be reversed by intravenous infusions of L-arginine (L-ARG), the precursor of NO. 22 patients with peripheral arterial obstructive disease (PAOD) received L-ARG (60 mmol) as intravenous infusions, each lasting three hours, daily for seven consecutive days. This treatment resulted in elongation of the painfree and maximum walking distances, as well as shortening of the period of time required for pain relief after walking the maximum distance.

Prostacyclin and molsidomine synergise in their fibrinolytic and anti-platelet actions in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

In vitro prostacyclin (PGI2) and nitric oxide (NO) synergise in their anti-aggregatory actions on blood platelets. Presently, we have studied an interaction of molsidomine (ML--pro-drug for the NO-donor SIN-1) and PGI2 in 20 patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on the plasma fibrinolytic system and platelet aggregability. A synergism of these drugs in their fibrinolytic action as measured by shortening of euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT) and in their anti-platelet action as measured by an increase in the ratio of free platelets to platelet aggregates was observed.

[Evaluation of the effectiveness of prostacyclin in the treatment of thrombosis of the central retinal vein using a double-blind method].

The patients were divided by chance into 2 groups: the first one (15 persons) was given a natrium salt of prostacyclin (Epoprostenol Wellcome or Chinoin) in a dose of 5 mg/kg/min. intravenously by an infusion pump in 5 infusions; the control group (15 persons) received instead of prostacyclin a placebo (0.1 M glycine buffer of pH 10.

The effects of the nitric oxide donors molsidomine and SIN-I on human polymorphonuclear leucocyte function in vitro and ex vivo.

The nitrovasodilator and nitric oxide donor molsidomine and its metabolite SIN-I dilate vascular smooth muscle and inhibit platelet activation by increasing intracellular concentrations of cyclic GMP. We have therefore studied the effects of molsidomine and SIN-I on isolated human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) in vitro and ex vivo. In vitro molsidomine dose-dependently reduced beta-glucuronidase release and the generation of superoxide anions from non-activated and from FMLP- or PAF-stimulated human PMNs.

[Kallikrein in the treatment of patients with obliterative atherosclerosis of the lower limbs and its mechanism of action].

Kallikrein (Padutin-Depot) was administered to 20 patients with obliterative atherosclerosis of the lower limbs of the II degree (19 patients) and IV degree (1 patient). The drug was given in the daily dose of 40 U i.m.

[Use of nitrendipine in treating patients with obliterative atherosclerosis of arteries in the lower extremities].

Twenty patients with obliterative atherosclerosis in the lower extremities arteries (Fontaine's stage II) were treated with nitrendipine (Bayotensin) given in the dose of 20 mg daily for 6 weeks. This therapy with nitrendipine produced improvement manifested by the prolongation of the distance of intermittent claudication, shortening of pain duration, increase in blood flow in the ischemic extremity, and increase in pressure index. At the same time, nitrendipine decreased ADP-produced platelet aggregation and activated fibrinolytic system.

[Effect of molsidomine on fibrinolytic activity: a double-blind, randomized study].

The influence of molsidomine on endogenous fibrinolytic activity was studied in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 12 male healthy volunteers. When measured 3 h after oral intake of molsidomine (16 mg, slow-release formulation) the activity of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) in plasma was significantly increased from 1.1 +/- 0.

[Administration of prostacyclin in sudden deafness. Evaluation with the double blind method].

Prostacyclin (PGI2) connects all the pharmacologic properties of drugs being used till now in sudden deafness. 30 patients with sensori-neural sudden deafness were treated by prostacyclin and placebo in the double-blind test situation. In therapeutic group of 15 patients were 87% of complete recovery, but in placebo only 6%.

Kallikrein-thrombolytic and hypotensive action in cats--preliminary results.

An intravenous injection of kallikrein produced hypotensive and thrombolytic effects in anesthetized cats, using the blood superfused tendon technique. The thrombolytic action of kallikrein was mediated by an unstable substance. The generation of this substance was abolished by either acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or aprotonin and enhanced by captopril.

[Effectiveness of etofibrate in arteriosclerosis obliterans. Pilot study in hyperlipidemic patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans].

In a pilot study the therapeutic effect of 2 x 500 mg etofibrate (Lipo Merz retard) on lipids and lipoproteins, fibrinolytic activity and clinical parameters was studied for four weeks in hyperlipidemic patients suffering from arteriosclerosis obliterans (Fontaine stage II/III). The study parameters were evaluated prior to and after the four weeks of treatment. Administration of etofibrate resulted in a significant decrease in serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the decrease in LDL-/HDL-cholesterol-ratio due mainly to an elevation of the HDL-cholesterol fraction, an increase in plasma fibrinolytic activity, an increased peripheral blood flow in the ischemic leg, and an increase in the pain-free walking distance.

[Use of prostacyclin in patients with ischemic stroke. A double-blind method II].

Thirty patients with acute ischaemic stroke were allocated randomly into a group treated with prostacyclin and a group receiving placebo. The treatment was started 24 to 72 hours after the onset of stroke. Prostacyclin sodium (Wellcome, U.

Defibrotide is equipotent to urokinase in stimulating arterial and venous thrombolysis.

The action of iv. defibrotide (100 mg/kg bolus injection, followed by 30 mg/kg x h) on arterial and venous thrombus formation was studied in rabbits and compared with iv. urokinase (4,000 IU/kg bolus injection, followed by 1,500 IU/kg x h).