[Use of serotonin for treatment of patients with diabetic angiopathies]

In 26 patients (female 11, males--15) with diabetic angiopathy (necrosis of the foot or toes) local measurement of pO2 by transcutaneous mode was carried out before and during introduction of serotonine adipinate. Simultaneously with evaluation of pO2 in 14 patients electromyography (EMG) was made. Serotonine adipinate was introduced intravenously with a speed of 5.0-10.0 mg per hour. In this group mean age of the patients made up 57.4 years, mean values of initial pO2 25.6 mm Hg, and mean indices of pO2 at the moment of serotonine treatment 38.5 mm Hg. Average increase of pO2 during serotonine infusion was registered as 50.4% in comparison with mean initial data. In all 14 patients, who underwent simultaneous measurement of pO2 and registration of EMG, reinforcement of electrical activity of smooth muscles (SM) of various intensity and increase in tissue pO2 were detected. Improvement of microcirculation (increase of transcutaneous pO2, reinforcement of electrical activity of SM as a result of serotonine introduction) evidences that functional and morphological changes of serotonine receptors of SM are involead in genesis of diabetic angiopathy. The data obtained showed that in diabetes mellitus, besides insulin deficiency, insufficiency of such an endogenous factor as serotonine duclops. Thus, serotonin should be used for prophylaxis and treatment of diabetic angiopathies.