[Vital capillary microscopic examination and transcutaneous pO2-measurements by intravenous prostaglandin E1...

The ability of a single i. v. application of 40 micrograms alprostadil (PGE1, mean therapeutic dose 0.62 microgram/kg body weight) to cause changes in capillary microscopy parameters and tcpO2 was investigated in an open study in 15 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease, Fontaine stage II-IV (8 women and 7 men, average age 70.1 and 70.0 years, respectively). Capillary microscopy investigations and oxygen tension measurements were carried out before and immediately after i. v. infusion of PGE1 or a 5% solution of laevulose using an intra-individual comparison. PGE1 led to an increase in the number of erythrocyte-filled capillaries per mm2, an improvement in the initial condition of the capillaries evaluated according to Fagrell and to a significant increase in the tcpO2, whereas no haemodynamic changes occurred at all after laevulose. These findings substantiate the view that PGE1 is also effective when applied intravenously distal from the arterial occlusion.