Rheological and anticoagulant therapy of patients with chronic peripheral occlusive arterial disease (COAD)

In the course of a six-month study, a three-subgroup cohort of 113 patients (103 m, 10 f, mean age 58 +/- 8 years) with angiographically proven occlusive peripheral arterial disease (COAD) Fontaine stage II was analyzed regarding the therapeutic (improvement of walking performance) and prophylactic (prevention of new vascular events) effects of oral treatment with three different drug regimens. Group A (38 patients) was treated with the anticoagulants phenprocoumon or acenocoumarol; group B (32 patients), with the same anticoagulants plus pentoxifylline--800-1200 mg per day; and group C (43 patients) received irregular treatment with various vasodilators, such as xanthinolnicotinate, naftidrofuryl, pyridylmethanol, and others. At the end of the trial period a significant increase in systolic ankle pressure index and walking distance was observed in group B whereas the two other groups showed minor changes only. The elevated plasma fibrinogen concentration in group B was also significantly decreased. The percentage of atherosclerotic complications such as new arterial thrombosis in the lower limbs, newly appeared stenocardia, myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and stroke was highest in group C (20%), relatively lower in group A (10%), and lowest in group B (3%). The percentage of hemorrhagic complications was minimal, with no significant differences between group A and group B. These complications were mild and disappeared quickly. The combined therapy with anticoagulants and pentoxifylline had a marked therapeutic and probably prophylactic effect as regards thromboembolic complications in patients with COAD and other localizations of atherosclerosis.