Study of thrombinic activation indexes, in patients with lower limb critic ischaemia, before and after prostaglandin E1 therapy.

Background: In this study the action of a prostaglandin, PGE1, was studied in a group of patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD).

Methods: In 16 patients (14 men and 2 women, aged 47-70 years, mean 57 +/- 7) with PAOD, Fontaine stage IIb and III in critical ischemia, the effects on two indexes of thrombin generation and action of the endovenous administration (2 hours) of 60 micrograms of Alprostadil-PGE1 for four weeks were evaluated. In all artheriopathic patients, before and after pharmacological treatment, the following haemostatic parameters were evaluated: the prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) and the fibrinopeptide A(FPA).

Results: The patients showed plasma levels of FPA significantly decreased at the end of the treatment. On the other hand, no significant difference in plasma F1 + 2 levels was observed after treatment.

Conclusions: These results seem to indicate that plasma F1 + 2 levels are significantly elevated, as a marker of thrombosis status, in patients with PAOD before and after treatment with PGE1.