Effects of PGE-1 in patients suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Background: The purpose of the research is to determine the effects of PGE-1 in patients with chronic obliterans arteriopathy of the lower extremities and to investigate the possibility of its having an influence on local hemodynamics.

Methods: The study comprises 123 patients aged between 39 and 75 years, suffering from Fontaine's Stage Two peripheral arteriopathy randomised into 2 therapeutic groups: the patients of Group 1 were treated with PGE-1, those of Group 2 with the association pentoxyfillin-buflomedil by venous infusion. The following were evaluated: the free walking distance on a treadmill; Rest Flow, Peak Flow and basal and minimum vascular resistance by means of strain gauge plethysmography; RF, PF, tPF and tRF by means of laserdoppler.

Results: After 4 weeks of treatment an increase of 370% was observed in the absolute free walking distance and of 260% in that relative to patients treated with PGE-1, while the increase in the same parameters in Group 2 patients was considerably lower. Further, in Group 1 patients there was a significant increase in Peak Flow and an improvement in laserdoppler parameters markedly greater than those measured in the control group.

Conclusions: In conclusion, the data obtained point to the effectiveness of PGE-1 in patients suffering from Fontaine's Stage 2 obliterans arteriopathy: this substance in fact improves the microcirculation and leads to the development of collateral circuits with a consequent improvement in local hemodynamics and an increase in walking distance.