Naftidrofuryl for ischaemic rest pain: a controlled trial

A preliminary study suggested that some patients with ischaemic rest pain improved during treatment with naftidrofuryl (Praxilene). Therefore, a controlled trial was performed in which 16 patients were treated for 7 days with placebo (given intravenously and in tablet form), and were then given Praxilene for a further 10 days and assessed subjectively and objectively. The drug regimen used was Praxilene 200 mg 8-hourly by mouth and 200 mg twice-daily intravenously. Although no objective improvement could be attributed to the drug, 7 of the 16 patients showed subjective improvement during the placebo period, but reported no further improvement during the Praxilene period (placebo responders). Five patients did not respond to the placebo but reported an improvement at all. Praxilene produced subjective improvement in the symptoms of rest pain in 5 patients out of 16 in this small study.