[Did the arrival of prostanoids modify therapeutic indications in peripheral obstructive arteriopathies?...

Prostaglandins, particularly PGE1, are now widely used in PAOD as they act on the balance of microcirculation and endothelial function. The Authors report their experience in 21 patients (19 males, 2 females; median age 64) treated with PGE1, 80 micrograms per day i.v. and subcutaneous heparin 0.2 ml twice a day and followed from September 1993 to March 1995. Twenty patients were affected by PAOD; in this group 8 (5 diabetics) were suffering from claudicatio intermittens, II from critical ischaemia, while 1 patient had thromboangiitis obliterans. One of the 8 claudicating patients did not complete the protocol because he underwent a femoropopliteal bypass, while the other 7 experienced a significant and stable improvement (two of these walk quite freely). Only 7 of the 11 patients with C.L.I. received a medical treatment alone; 4 had healing of necrotic ulcers and in the other 3 the treatment was stopped because of the onset of severe hypertension or because they were non-responders. In 4 patients with C.L.I. PGE1 was associated with a surgical revascularization procedure, and its role has to be better defined. From the analysis of the results reported treatment with PGE1 may be an important step in Fontaine class IIb patients, before planning a surgical approach. Also in most cases of C.L.I. it proved its efficacy, however, the initial therapeutic option (either medical or surgical) should be evaluated in each single case.