[Severe arterial spasm and secondary thromboses of the limbs in chronic ergotism]

A 40 year old woman who took a daily dose of 2-4 mg of Ergotamine Tartrate (Cafergot) regularly for 6 years to combat persistent migraine, was treated for a non-atherosclerotic arterial disease, severe arteriospasm of the great limb arteries, hyperplasia of the intima and segmental thrombosis. Binding of adrenergic alpha and beta receptors was investigated. Surprisingly it was found that the number of adrenergic beta receptors was significantly lower thant that of a healthy woman of the same age used as a control while the number of alpha receptors was not significantly different. This action of ergotamine on beta receptors could be explained by a dopamine-mimetic stimulation, due to the central nervous system, that could lead to the preferential regulation of beta receptors rather than alpha receptors, almost as a protective mechanism of alpha receptors.