PGE(1) therapy for Martorell's ulcer

Martorell's ulcer is a type of ischaemic ulcer of the lower leg, defined by severe pain and female-to-male predominance. The aim of this article is to assess the therapeutic effectiveness of PGE(1), both in pain control and in the healing times of Martorell's ulcers for patients already undergoing antihypertensive treatment. Between January 2004 and December 2008, we recruited 10 patients with Martorell's ulcers. These patients were organized into two groups (A and B). Group A included six patients who underwent only antihypertensive treatment with calcium channel blockers or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Group B consisted of four patients who underwent continuous administration of PGE(1) through a single-day elastomer (120 µg/24 hours) for 7 days. In both groups, we observed a progressive reduction in the surface area of Martorell's ulcers until complete recovery, but there was a significant difference with regards to healing time. We also observed a significant improvement in symptomatic pain after only 2 days of PGE(1) therapy. It has now been proved that antihypertensive treatment leads to ulcers healing but, according to our experience, intravenous infusion of prostaglandins improves peripheral perfusion and symptomatic pain and decreases healing time.