Therapy of livedo vasculitis with pentoxifylline

Two patients with idiopathic livedo vasculitis responded favorably to therapy with pentoxifylline. One patient had responded to fibrinolytic therapy with phenformin and ethylestrenol before phenformin was taken off the market. Pentoxifylline (Trental) has multiple mechanisms of action, including stimulation of prostacyclin synthesis, decreased aggregation of platelets, increased deformability of red blood cells, increased mobility of neutrophils, and increased fibrinolysis. All of these factors may contribute to its successful use in the treatment of idiopathic livedo vasculitis.